A Scientist's Fate : A Warrior's Battle
by StrwbrryFlds360
Summary: This is a tale following 25 yrs after the movie, between scientist Simone Mason and Omaticayan Prince, Mi'nad, son of Jake Sully and Neytiri. They're battle's between love, marriage, and loyalty; which will win? Further Summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

25 years after the Na'vi reclaimed their control, a new batch of military and scientists has returned to Pandora, including ethnologist Simone Mason and Veronica Gomez. Giving the task of working with doctor Max, Simone is soon partnered with a Na'vi prince, son of Omaticayan rulers Jake Sully and Neytiri. But plans don't go as smoothly when Simone's fiance, Sgt. Jeremy Willer, becomes suspicious about her interactions with the Na'vi people and plans to retaliate with a huge bang.

All recognizable people, places, and animals belong to creaters of avatar and all that jazz. But a fair deal comes from a chaotic quadrantic, deep in my mind.

enjoy,

* * *

"Ahh…open it...now! I can't...breath!"

The shrill yell and banging was enough to get everyone attention to her 'coffin', as her fellow crew calls it. But that terminology ranged true in Simone Mason's mind. She had been up for about 30 seconds before she began to hyperventilate. The small tight quarters of her metal bed, only left her with enough room to lay flat and be unconscious for five years.

"Hey, someone, open up, please!" Simone begged, hoping that someone could hear her. She knew the pod was made to keep out noise but she hoped it didn't keep sounds in.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and started counting down from one hundred. "100...99...98...97...oh shit, shit, shit, shit…100...9...oh come on, girl. This is what all those years of training was for," she whispered to herself. Simone continued and went through ten restarts before she heard the soft click of the locks and her door swung open. "Oh, dear god…" she finally breathed and opened her eyes to chaos.

All around her people were floating through this crypt-like area where more bed-pods were opened. Some med techs went to wake the sleeping, while others moved around for assistance.

"Hey, Moni!" she heard the yell and spun around. Faintly in the background, she heard the pre-recorded messages detailing the effects of finally waking and how to cure the headaches and hunger. "Simone!"

At the call, Simone turned to see Veronica "Nica" Gomez. The sexy, Spanish siren, pulled herself toward her best friend. Simone noticed that even now Nica was showing off her D cups in a tank top and sweat pants.

"Damn, took you ages to wake up," She pounced on Simone before her friend caught her breath. Nica hadn't woken too much earlier, but she was full of energy. "Well, not everyone is an early riser like you. Hey, can you let go a bit." Simone's voice was raspy and hoarse. Hearing the request, Nica pulled simone in closer and whispered; her hazel eyes meeting Simone's almond ones.

"Oh no you don't. Being a bitch was the first thing we ruled out when we decided to come out here. Now, let's go and get you something to eat and a much needed shower and then find Mr. Right..." Nica winked, before dragging her friend away.

Veronica lead Simone to retrieve their bags before heading to their Shuttle. The smaller space craft would launched them through the planet's atmosphere and land them on Pandora.

It took them three hours to land on the surface and each person was ordered to place on air masks. Simone ignored the slight fatigue and shortness of breath as she gathered her bag and followed instructions. The space vehicle parked on a landing dock next to other shuttles, carrying the rest of the army and marine personnel. So far as Simone knew, there was only a couple of scientist to the thousands of militants. She didn't like those numbers, especially after the failed siege the human caused almost twenty-five years ago, but it was the Na'vi's rule. Only a certain amount of humans could inhabit the base and only a certain amount of researchers were allowed to prevent the war from happening again. And this was strictly enforced by the Omaticayan Na'vi.

Once on base, Simone was in enamored by the vastness of everything. Besides the beauty she could see of the planet, her eyes scoured over massive amounts of aircrafts, military vehicles, machines and weaponries. But only one thing stopped her dead in her tracks; a large, blue figure several meters away.

"What the fu…" she stuttered, not able to finish when a Na'vi man walked right by her. Her eyes roamed over the mass expanse of his body. His ten-foot tall height dwarfed everyone around him. If the height wasn't intimidating enough, his long tail and feline features would definitely scare the shit out of folks.

"They have signed a treaty with us, in exchange they have as much input on this base as we do," Nica whispered as Simone continued to gawked at the giant. And almost as if he felt her, the Na'vi's striking eyes came down to hers. The yellow hue drew her in, her jaw dropped to the floor. All she knew of these humanoids were from the brief history class she took for the mission and reading Dr. Grace Augustine's book. But nothing could describe seeing them in personal.

"He sees you…" This came from a new voice but Simone didn't break eye contact with the Na'vi.

"I see him, too," she whispered and smiled. The Na'vi man slowly smiled back at her before sending a wink. Immediately, her head her fascination ten folded. "Oh my god, did you see that." Quickly she turned to the new comer. "Is he really one of them or is he an avatar?" She asked in amazement.

"Ah…now that's a question you will soon learn the answer to, Dr. Mason. I'm Dr. Max Patel, I was…"

"Dr. Grace Augustine's colleague. We are assigned to you." Nica offered out her hand toward him and shook his. Simone was second, but quickly turned around to see that the Na'vi or Avatar was gone.

"Ahh…yes. Then you must be Dr. Veronica Gomez. It is a pleasure to have you both here. I have heard about your success with the tribes in Mongolia and Papua. You, both, have exceeded greatly in your journeys…"

As Max continued on, reciting how much research he did on the women, Simone was too busy processing all that was around her. On her way into the base, she passed more of these huge people, some wearing simple clothes like a tank and shorts, while others were in identifiable tribal garbs. Thinking back to the Na'vi she first saw, she realized he was wearing tribal clothing as well, but it was more elaborate than the rest of the Na'vi. His waist necklace was large like his waist belt. He was also adorned in exotic beads and stones, stripes and tattoos.

"Max, was he a leader?" Simone asked suddenly, interrupting whatever conversation he and Nica were having. She remembered the desriptions in Augustine's books of the rituals and signs of royalty.

"Wow...you have a cunning eye..." he admired her ability to correctly observe in less than a minute. "He is not a leader yet, but will be. Be patient...you shall meet him and more tomorrow."

This is when it finally sank in where she really was; Pandora.

"Okay, I know the journey was long, so I will leave you to get situated within your quarters and eat. Just make sure you come find me in the lab at 0800 tomorrow. Have a good afternoon, ladies," Max said, giving them one last nod before he left.

Simone and Nica, quickly found their rooms due to maps and decided to shower, dress and go in search for food. Both knowing they will definitely need their energy for this adventure.

* * *

Tossing and turning was the way of her life right now, as Simone anxiety got the best of her. She turned to the clock and eyed its numbers one last time. 0300. How the hell did she expect to wake up in the morning, if she wasn't resting now? This question swam circles through her head. Deciding to just get up, she stood up and walked to the wind. She knew the moon would be wonderful tonight.

And that it was. That large, silvery orb floating amongst the dark sky and bright stars. Swirls of color drifted through the atmosphere, reminding her deeply of the Aurora Borealis back on earth. As she looked on, she couldn't fathom actually flying amongst the sky to get her.

Lowering her gaze, she looked beyond the yard, beyond the wire fence, to see light glow.

"Oh my god..." she whispered as the world outside transformed into this bioluminescent forest and wondered when she would be able to explore.

Her eyes scanned every surface glowing through her thick glass window, before a huge shadow caught her attention. Quickly, she looked to the sky; something fast and blue seemed to fall to her left. She strained her neck to see the object and noticed that it was a creature, a huge creature.

"A bird...ikran." she whispered, amazed. Suddenly she left the window to gather Grace's book and ran back. She stood in the moonlight and looked for the chapter on the flight animal, but became engrossed with another object jumping from the bird. She watched as the person chucked something into the birds mouth, before caressing its head. The bird moved into the man's touch before flying away.

Trying not to be noticed, Simone moved closer into the shadows of her room, yet straining to watch him.

Mi'nad watched Tekaya fly off before he faced this mammoth of a building. It was still his shift to watch over the humans and make sure they didn't anything against the Treaty. Though he noticed there seem to be more of them in the last few day, he also knew a lot were scheduled to fly out in the next upcoming weeks.

Scooping a jungle fruit from his small satchel, he tossed it in the air before catching it and biting the sweet flesh. He lavished in its overwhelming juices, devouring the whole fruit in seconds. He began to patrol the land, comfortable in the silence of the base. It amazed him how much noise the skypeople made in the morning and day, but deep in the night, they all seemed to disappear. At first he was cautious of this, believing that there were planning something, but his father debunked that story with the help of Max and Norm. His father, Jake Sully, once belonged to their clan but after falling in love with his mother, he prayed to Eywa and she gave him rebirth. Mi'nad could only think of doing something so tremendous, resulting in a great outcome, in his life.

He loved listening to the battle stories of his people and hearing about the Toruk Matico. The makings of a great Omaticaya leader ran through his blood, how could he do any wrong?

Mi'nad continued to walk the yard, this time he pulled an even bigger and juicer fruit out of his bag. Its soft flesh would be easy to pierce with his sharp teeth, allowing him enough room to suck the nectar. Gripping it in his hand one last time, Mi'nad tilted his head back, relaxed his jaw and flung the fruit in the air.

With much anticipation, Simone watched on the outcome. She noticed the growth of this fruit and determined it was way too big to fit perfectly in his mouth. Yet, she was still hoped that he proves her wrong.

Up and up it went, building height, until finally, it started to fall. The big, purple circle picked up memento, speeding to the ground. Mi'nad moved several inches, trying to line up the axis, while Simone glued her face to the window.

A speeding bullet; the fruit was coming down with more force than either one of them thought, and for a minute Mi'nad hesitated. Deciding to just give in for a crazy stunt, he placed himself straight in its aim; eyes closed and waited.

On the other side of the glass, Simone watched as the Na'vi tensed up, spread his legs apart and squatted. In the process, she noticed how his sculpted arms tightened as they touched his knees, his biceps gleaming in the light of the night sky. He was bracing himself for the impact, she thought and smiled at the observation.

Her gaze moved back to the fruit, to see it hit he hard. "Ha!" Simone immediately exploded as the fruit splashed all over his face. She watched as jumped backward, wiping his face clean of its remnants. Noticing that he didn't seem hurt, Simone continued to laugh, harder and harder, until her head went straight into the glass.

_Bump..._Mi'nad heard the faint noise and grew alarmed. Immediately his eyes went in search of the source and found a window. Looking closer, he noticed a moving figure, a laughing figure. And they didn't stop. He realized that the person was laughing at him. Humiliated, Mi'nad quickly thought of embarrassing the sky man.

The tears overwhelmed Simone as she laughed harder. Her eyes shut, she didn't realize he was moving toward her window. It was only after she quieted down that she raised her lids and screamed. "Ahh...!" Her body flew backward, tripping on the light rug on the floor and landed on her butt.

New to the world and its people, she didn't expect for him to move so quickly or to be standing a couple inches from the window. Nor did she expect her eyes to lock with his glowing yellow orbs. His large head took up most of the window but she continued to enjoy the view. His lean upper body was craved muscles; any man would be enviable. In addition, his blue stripes, colorful tattoos and iridescent sprinkles all added to his appeal. In one word he was beautiful.

Mi'nad looked through the small window at the body on the floor. He felt no remorse for scaring her; she should have mind her own business than watched him. He figured she was one more enemy who acted like they really cared about his planet. He watched as she slowly climbed to her feet, eyes never moving, and started to walk closer. Out of curiosity, he tilted his head, allowing the moon light to shine in and light up her face. Eywa, she was beautiful, he thought immediately. One of the most beautiful sky person he has ever seen. Mi'nad couldn't help but be mesmerized by her dark skin. It easily reflected the silver glow of the moon.

Simone summoned up the courage to walk forward, to get closer. It wasn't so much as a want to be face-to-face with him, but a need. She needed to show that she wasn't the enemy; she needed them to trust her. That was why she came.

Mi'nad watched her left hand rise to the window right above his cheek. The overall moment was so intense, he thought he could feel her actually touching him, so he flinched. It was like a hot flash moment, a feeling he got when he touched wires the skypeople had around the fence. Yet he could take his eyes of hers. They were small, but wide and curious, like a child. She looked at him with so much vulnerability. She was safe...he thought. But she was naive.

A loud call resonated through the air, announcing the arrival of his longtime friend, Quin. The other Na'vi promised to split the shift with him so that he could be ready for Max in the morning. He turned his face away to see Quin's ikran land not too far from where he landed.

"Look back at me..." she whispered, feeling lonely without his gaze. As if hearing her, he did turn back around. Simone moved forward and stroked the glass. Her mouth moved into a small, welcoming smile as she continued to look at him. Oh, what she would do to hear him speak...she thought. She watched as he turned away from her again, this time she saw the other Na'vi man; she was unimpressed by his arrival. She was satisfied with just this one.

Mi'nad turned back to the strange woman and repeated her gentle smile. "_Mi'nad...!" _He heard Quin yell and he knew he would hear it if his friend found what caught his attention. He looked at the woman one last time before whispering, "_I see you." _And before she could respond he ran off.

Simone nearly cursed at her luck. He said something, yet she was behind a glass too thick to hear his words. Deflated, she watched him hurry away but then he stopped as if he forgot something. Quickly he turned and with him standing close to a light post, she saw his quick gesture. Just like when she first landed, the Na'vi winked. And then she realized who he was. He was the one wearing far more elaborate tattoos and dressings than the other Na'vi she seen walking around and when he met with the other man, the guy bowed to him. It all added up. He had to be the Omaticayan Prince.

* * *

Hey, so this is the first chapter of my first fan-fic and I was so mesmorized by the movie that I wrote this bad boy...now I am sharing it with you guys.

Hope you like, reviews and opinions appreciated. Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for everyone who gave this story a try, here's chapter two. Also, any italicizing during dialogues means they are speaking the language of the Na'vi people. Hope that clears up any problems.

Enjoy,

* * *

Exactly at 0800, tired Simone walked through the Avatar Lab looking for Max. Having a hard time going to sleep after the late night visit, it wasn't until five-thirty that she fatigue hit her and then an 90 minutes later she had to rise again. Simone hurried through her morning ritual and went straight to Nica's room. The girl met her with bags under her eyes and pajamas still on. Simone refused to be late so she ended up leaving Nica.

"Hey, Simone, right on time." Max called, looking up from a couple of monitors. While he checked the vitals on a set of new Avatars, more people were running here and there. "So how was your first night?" He asked and smiled. Though he liked Simone from what he read, her light pressure reassured him as well.

Turning away from the chaos, Simone paused, unsure if she should confide in the happenings of her first night. She knew of the special relationship Max had with the Na'vi people but what would he make of, not only a Na'vi, but a prince looking through the bedroom window of his new colleague. Instead she kept her mouth shut of the truth, smiled and nodded.

"Well, it's funny. I spent years sleeping and within six hours I was ready for another nap. Actually I didn't wake up until seven," nervously she laughed through her partial lie. She did wake up at seven but sleep barely came to her.

Max ate up her every word and didn't seemed bothered by Nica's disappearance. "It's natural for you to be tired. Your brain had to process a lot of things. Oh, uh... where is Veronica?" At this he started looking around. So he was curious after all.

"She is on her way. She's still adjusting..." Simone lied again, knowing her best probably was snuggled back in bed. She turned her attention to the many screens that shone graphs, heartbeats and strange swirls. "So what are these?" She pointed.

"Well there monitors, linked to each pod." Max pointed to a series of eight, rectangular pods around the room. He led her to the closest one and opened the lid. "Basically, a driver lays inside and is hooked up to sensors linked to their avatar. On the monitors we make sure he is mentally stable while traveling."

"And where are they kept...the avatars, I mean?" Simone inquired. She saw his face sink a bit.

"Well Grace had a bunk built before she died. We still use it today, and lock it up at night. Come, I want to show you something." Max started walking through a doorway and they entered into another Lab room. All of around them, scientist continued working frantically on either monitors or some sort of samples. She constantly had to watch where she walked, to avoid knocking over someone or something. "This is where we develop the Avatars. Most of them are done by time its driver lands, but with the demand of more drivers, less time is available for creation."

Max continued to walk, sometimes stopping to check in with a colleague. Simone followed behind him, awed by the whole process. She could hear constant heartbeats throughout the room underneath Max's voice. As they wandered further, the beats grew louder and her heart began to emulate the sound.

After another ten minutes, Max turned to her and smiled. "Alright, though its not ready, I think you will still be highly excited about the present..."

"Oh, I am already excited. A present and it's not my birthday..." Simone joked and to her liking, Max began laughing too.

"Well think of this like it's a landing gift. Besides, you are now apart of our team, Simone, so I would like to honor you as a driver of your very, own Avatar." He announced and stepped to the side.

Simone was caught off guard by his movements, since his words didn't register yet. But once she saw that massive body floating in front of her, features mixed with hers and natives, she screamed. Simone actually screamed in the middle of a busy lab room.

Workers all looked at the woman with arched eyebrows, soon became annoyed with her excitement. However, Max missed the days when his workers were thrilled about discovering a new world. Ever since the sieges twenty-five years ago, Na'vi controlled who were allowed to enter Pandora, but the military controlled the names on the entry lists, hence to the rise in militants on the planet and less scientist. The reasons of entry for an enthusiastic, twenty-five year old and her partner, with few years of field experience between them, boggled him. But he never questioned his luck.

"Okay, so this is the plan. We have about a month left on your avatar, as well as, Veronica's..." Max started before asking that Nica's be their secret. He continued on explaining the procedure to process an avatar while leading Simone to another area. It was separated from where her avatar was kept, but the tanks was smaller and encased human bodies. "And now I will show you what will keep you busy in that time." He stopped at the first tank of a floating olive, dark haired man. He was absolutely gorgeous and very well endowed, from what she peeked at. "About fifteen years ago, a couple of colleagues as well as the Omaticayan royals thought it would be a great experience to show some Na'vi what it's like to be humans. All we did was reverse a couple of things, altered the pods and started combining DNA. Here we have the avatar of Mi'nad. He is the son of Neytiri and Jake Sully. You did do research on the Omaticayan clan, correct?"

Simone nodded though she would not say reading Dr. Augustine's book three times great research. But the fact was she never thought she would be on this trip or even considered if it wasn't for... Jeremy.

Suddenly she looked down at her ring finger and observed. Though her diamond ring was kept safe in a hidden place, she assumed the indentation would still be there, but it wasn't. On her, now, nothing would prove that she was due to marry, especially not someone like Jeremy Owens, son of Col. Owens, head of military on Pandora. But thinking about it, she wasn't even sure Jeremy told his father about the proposal.

"Simone...?" Max called out to the woman. She went blank for about thirty seconds and he wondered if he revealed too much at one time. He went to get her attention, but something bigger did the trick.

"Max...?" She snapped of her reverie at a hauntingly deep voice and overpowering aura. In the shadow of this great force, Simone turned and immediately froze. "I am sorry if I'm interrupting your conversation but I wanted to know if everything was ready for Mi'nad?" A frighteningly, tall Na'vi asked with a familiar accent.

"You're American?" Simone choked out, suddenly. Her cheeks inflamed from the sudden remark. Though she was slightly embarrassed, a curious eyebrow raised over his neon orb, reshaping the deep 'V' tattoo etched across his nose and forehead.

"And you are?" He asked, cautiously.

"American...Oh, I meant, Simone Mason." Immediately she handed out her hand and eagerly smiled. Jake Sully took a quick glance at Max who snickered, before reaching out his large fingers.

"She's assigned to my crew, ready to help you guys out in a month." Max added, while he watched the two being's hands meet. "I was also thinking about her assistance with your son's transition. She has experience with foreign work and being thrown into intense situations." Max sent her a wink, this information pleased him but he hoped it will be enough for his father.

"Military?" Jake Sully demanded. He took in her features and knew she was young. Too young to remember the war, which was a curse and a blessing. There were two possibilities her to be here; a spy for Owens, brainwashed to believe the humans were wronged, or a naive optimistic who believed in hope.

"No... I'm just here with an agenda to learn the culture and report back to Earth. Excuse me, but you are?" Jake smiled, thinking of his correct assumption, but at her ignorance he frowned. "First lesson, you are speaking with the king of the Omaticayan people, Jake Sully..."

Suddenly Simone became parched. Stupidly, she didn't realize how important this Na'vi was. She could only imagine the bad things that ran through his head from her lack of knowledge.

"Oh, my, god, I am deeply sorry. I have done research but I guess the journey is still doing a number on me. You're legendary..." Simone whispered and tried her best to regain some integrity.

"I guess you can say that. But it is really my people who are the legend. I'm sure Max will help you refresh on some of the history before you begin working," he ordered and then tugged on the mask covering his nose and mouth. "Oh, and these new ones are stifling... we should go back to the soft plastic." Jake stated, referring to his breath mask.

Max nodded his agreement and checked his clipboard, before realizing something. " Jake, " he yelled to the Na'vi man. "I have to cater to the other trainees fresh of the plane. Mi'nad will be helping this one."

"I don't think that's wise," Jake responded. Max excused himself and approached the tall man. The guys immediately started a deep debate with each looking back at her. Meanwhile, Simone took advantage of the space and turned toward the container holding the human man. As she stared at the floating body, her mind tried to process everything.

"Nice guy...too bad he raised an arrogant son," Max returned.

"Yeah, well, Jake Sully's head wasn't too small at his age either. Remember that?"

A tall, lanky, white man joined the couple with a monitor in his hand. He nodded toward Simone, pointed to his badge and began talking calculations and numbers. After he was done, he turned back to her. "Sorry, lack of some short term memory, so I either have to repeat everything the moment I find them out or forget it, if I don't write it down. Norman, but call me Norm." He held out his hand, which Simone quickly shook.

"Simone Mason, new to the team..." she introduced herself, when Max jumped in.

"And one of yours. Meet your new team leader, Simone. Get to know each other really well. I have to go and check on some things for today." And then he was gone; both watched him disappear in a sea of scientist.

Simone breathed deeply as Norm wrote something on a pad. He skimmed over the paperwork before looking back at her. "Well this is exciting...I'm going to run through some things, very quickly, and then we get to work. Okay?" He asked non-enthusiastically, with one eye brow raised.

"Okay..." Simone responded with a bright smile, yet her insides squirmed with nerves.

Two hours later, Simone sat, defeated, at a work desk. Her brain was overloaded with complicated information and overwhelming plans. As soon as Norm began, he confirmed that starting today she was working directly with the Omaticayan Prince. She would be his personal liaison with the human world, while he worked with some of the others and monitor their transition. In addition to the chaos, she was informed of Mi'nad's first trial was scheduled today, actually in less than thirty minutes. "You up for that, Princess?" Norm joked.

"I think so..." she responded, looking through a healthy packet of information on the Omaticayan people and culture.

"Those were Grace's, we still use them today because no other scientist were ever allowed to get that close after the wars. In other words, protect those documents with your life and don't let them leave your sight." Norm had this no- nonsense attitude that scared the shit out of her. He knew his stuff and was able to answer every question on the spot. It was intimidating knowing that he expect her to be that way with a one week deadline.

Simone nodded and continued on reading. The first couple of pages explained the environment, opening up Simone's imagination far more than when she was a child. In her book, Grace talked about circuits and energy between the Na'vi and their planet, but the reports were far more detailed. There were so many calculations, graphs, hand drawn illustrations to show the linkage. Simone had this overwhelming sense of honor and pride. She was really here on Pandora and doing something extremely important. She definitely owed Jeremy a kiss.

Thinking about her fiance, she wondered why he hadn't called her yet. He must have known she landed yesterday, yet he did not come to see her. She glanced back to her vacant ring finger and thought of the pact they met. _"Until we are back home, on safe ground, than we have to keep the proposal a secret. I can get you on a plane out to see me, but not if people know we are engaged." _She recalled Jeremy's words the night before he was due to leave. They laid in bed together, her basking over the ring and him dreaming about being on Pandora. He was a honorable and skilled soldier and he was ready to protect his people. From what? Simone never asked but she was sure it would be well deserved.

Snapping out of her thoughts, she couldn't help but wonder if the base was too stocked with military. By the opinions of Max and Norm, and Grace's document, it seemed like this planet held less dangers than the humans were expected to believe. Simone recalled the mandatory defense classes she took before boarding the shuttle.

"Hey, Norm...he's here."

The yell brought on activity in the room. Everyone quickened their pace and tried to finish whatever they worked on. This only brought Simone eyes to her boss. She watched him nod and then pulled up a screen. As Norm transferred files on to a small glass monitor, he stood from his seat and walked toward a larger doorway. Simone watched as it opened and in walked three natives. They were speaking in a foreign tongue, clearly not interesting in cutting off their conversation. Norm shouted toward the men and all three looked down at him. _"If you are not comfortable with doing this then you do not have to." _Mi'nad listened to his father's great friend and nodded.

"_That is what I have been telling them, Norm. But you know these coward are scared of their shadows." _His laugh thundered throughout the lab as he gazed at his two friends. They were only due to test the circuits between them and their avatars. Mi'nad had been pumped when they asked him for the early trial, but he was the only one.

"_Yeah, well I have no desires turning into them. They are monsters and idiots. Just look at that one, watching like she never seen anything different in her life." _Quin responded, disgusted by the dark woman at the desk. Mi'nad followed his line of sight and paused when his gaze reached her.

Simone's eyes immediately widened with recognition and never faltered when Mi'nad locked gazes with her. Oh my god, she thought, still not believing how beautiful he was. He was physically perfect in every way.

Mi'nad instantly wanted to laugh at the odds, but knew he would seem crazy and his friends would want to know the source of his amusement. So instead, he smirked and sent a wink her way. He was never shy with extra attention; it only saturated his ego.

"_Who is she?"_ He asked Norm. The man looked back at Simone and gestured for her to come over.

"She's your adviser. New to the team, so be gentle. Apparently she has good credentials and we need all the help we can get," Norm explained. A lot of people weren't exactly lining up to work so close with the natives and vice verse; it made for a tense environment.

"_She's young. I like," _Mi'nad responded.

"_Of course you would...but she's a bug compared to us," _Quin pointed out, clearly not as impressed with the human as Mi'nad was.

"_Not for long..." _Mi'nad whispered.

"_You know the rules..." _Norm warned, switching to the Na'vi language. He turned to Simone. He introduced her to Mi'nad, Quin and the third Na'vi, Setu.

"_Hello..." _I come in peace, she thought to say immediately after, but fortunately closed her mouth before the words could came out.

Mi'nad watched her curiously. She was nervous, he could sense it when she tried to speak his language. He could see her mind trying to form words and her mouth opened several times but no sound came out. He couldn't help but wonder if this really was the same woman from last night. She seemed so at ease earlier.

"I don't know what else to say, Norm," Simone whispered, trying to remember the other Na'vi words he taught her today.

"They know English, Simone," Norm answered back like she was the dumbest thing ever.

Simone cheeks heated and she thanked her stars that no one would see redness under her russet colored cheeks. At this she heard snickers from the guys and she grew even more humiliated.

"Don't be humiliated. We won't laugh too hard," Mi'nad choked out and Simone understood his mockery. He was seeking revenge from last night.

"Alright, boys, lay off the newbie and let's get started."

Norm didn't wait for the boys to respond before walking away. Simone stayed put as the huge men walked passed her. Trying to wipe away her emotions, she was about to turn around when she felt a smack...on her ass. She whipped her head to look behind and saw the swinging tails of three Na'vi men; their faces all looking at her, mischievously.

The one named Quin said something her mind couldn't decipher and all three males burst out laughing.

"Arrogant assholes," Simone muttered before following after.

"Fuck..." Max cursed as Norm came up beside him.

"Do you want to try again?" Norm asked the doctor, but Max was immediately shaking his head.

"No, we've done enough today. Let's not risk anything to either one of them."

Simone stood behind the men for the third trial today, witnessing the failure of the connection between driver and avatar. Neither one of the boys had any response and it only seemed to dampen the mood.

Nica had finally showed up about an hour ago and was standing beside Simone. She was assigned to work with Max while her avatar was still developing. She was to learn more about the technology between human/Na'vi and avatar. While Nica seemed thrilled over her assignment, Simone was extremely bummed over hers. She had no intentions to enjoy her time with these natives. She needed a break.

"When's lunch?" she instantly blurted out, but only Nica seemed to hear from her snicker.

"Listen, maybe we should try one more time." Norm said, flipping through graphs on his monitor.

"No, we should stop. We'll come back to it tomorrow..." Max turned away from the screens and looked at Nica. "Veronica, can you help wake the men?" She nodded and went straight the pods. Max went to the Avatar lab and called for the human avatars to be placed back in their cells.

Norm turned to Simone and smiled. "Sometimes, we are lucky and get it right and sometimes we're not. Hungry?"

"Starving...?" was her only reply.

* * *

Mi'nad laid his body closer to Tekaya, taking in the brute force of the winds. She flew expertly through the air without him telling her where to go. All he thought of was home and she knew where to fly. Seeing the big tree in view, he looked over his shoulders at Quin and Setu They both looked as tired as him, or for Quin, annoyed. He never wanted to be apart of this project but Mi'nad talked him into to it. Besides the prince would need men behind him no matter where he went, so Quin gave in. Setu on the other hand, was as curious as Mi'nad but he was also scared. It was his great skill as a warrior that made Queen Neytiri nominate him for the last position in the experiment. Her son couldn't agree more.

Mi'nad leaped off the bird as soon as they landed on a huge branch and immediately ran down to his people's common area. He knew his parents would be there waiting for a report. And he was not to disappoint.

"_I see you, mother...father_," he greeted them, giving his mother a kiss. She was shaman of the clan now, since his grandmother went to Eywa years ago. His father, now, chief, looked both happy and tired. He understood the big responsibility that came with taking care of a clan; one he would have to do eventually.

"Was it a success?" Jake asked.

"No," Mi'nad answered, eyeing the children playing.

"_Not at all?" _Neytiri asked in her native tongue, though she knew the answer would be the same.

"_No," _her son repeated, switching as well. native He began to pace, thinking back on the tiring day, when his mind only saw one face. Simone was her name and her naivety was refreshing from the hard expressions of the other humans. But he knew she was angry with him and his friends. Quin had made a mockery of her every chance he could and Setu didn't help with laughing.

After the failed attempts, Norm thought it would be best for Simone to become acquainted with Mi'nad so he ordered them all outside. "Give her a tour..." Norm offered, but what actually happened was Quin and Setu picking up a quick game of a human sport and Mi'nad was left to stand beside her. She didn't say a word and ignored him for the better part of their session. After a while, she declared she was tired and left. He watched her go with curiosity before shrugging it off and joined his friends' game.

"Well, what are you up to tomorrow?" Jake asked his son.

_"I think Norm wants me to spend time with his assistant. She's supposed to be helping me transition and I will help her in return." _Mi'nad brushed off a fallen leaf before picking up his spear. He was thinking about fishing some, since the day was warmer than most.

"Ahh...Simone, yes, I met her. How is she?"

Mi'nad only shrugged and started picking with his spear head. Jake watched his son and sighed. He was hoping that Mi'nad would take this experience to heart and learn some things that Jake couldn't teach him. But all his son was doing was looking for something else to get into. Maybe Simone will be able to help his son see the importance. Jake made a mental note to speak with her tomorrow.

_"Mi'nad!" _

At the call the two men looked over at Quin. He decended from a bark that led to the river.

_"I see you, brother," _Mi'nad nodded as Quin got closer. _"I see you, JakeSully," _Quin bowed toward his leader before turning to his friend. _"Fishing?" _

"_The day is warm for a swim and some good catch. Come join me_." Mi'nad picked up one of his extra spears and chucked it at Quin. The boy caught it with ease and nodded.

Before long they departed from the great tree and was in trek to the river bank.

_"So, how are you and Kayin?" _Quin asked. He's been hearing rumors that Mi'nad and his girlfriend have been having problems. But what could anyone expect from a relationship between royals of two clans. Ever since the sieges, most Na'vi people stayed close-by, or at least the higher ups. Leaders and shamans, along with their families, littered the great trees around the Omaticayan's sacred land.

_"I don't know. She's getting too..." _Mi'nad whispered. He thought about the girl from the horse clan. Her mother was shaman and leader as her father was killed in battle. There was no doubt she was beautiful and any man would be lucky to be considered for courtship, but she was also bland, ordinary. She talked about family way too much for him and she only liked to take walks. He was looking for someone to challenge him, trekk across the land with him, meet him toe-to-toe, someone like his mother. Neytiri in his eyes was golden as any son would worship his mother, but he also knew she was a novelty. Many Na'vi women were submissive to their mates, only showing their fury away from the clan. He admired that, honored that, but at the same time, he wanted a woman that wouldn't stand for any nonsense. His father said the same words about his mother.

As Mi'nad continued to walk, he couldn't help but envy the love that his parents have. Slowly he began to wonder if he would ever find that in his world. Would he have to look further... maybe even towards the humans. At that very thought, he stopped. There was no way in hell his people would consent to another human in the clan, especially when a woman would have more to prove than his father. Maybe he needed to just take it slow with Kayin and maybe she'll be tolerable. Hopefully.

* * *

so thanks for reading...plz leave comments, opinions, or just plain feedback!


	3. Chapter 3

So I am extremely sorry with how late this chapter is. I never meant to be a writer that forgets about the people reading and yet, I seemed to have fallen in that catergory. To make it up, I will try to continue uploading and hopefully finish soon.

thanks, enjoy.

* * *

Simone did another lap on the treadmill before giving up on her regiment, the foreign atmosphere took its toll on her muscles. However, it was the effects of Mi'nad that she was struggling with. He was beyond infuriating and considerably ignorant. He treated her worthless shit in his world; Mi'nad standing much taller than her didn't help. Then for icing, he would just laugh as his clowns snickered in their native tongue. Did Max and Norm expect her to feel calm around them while they still had a human/Na'vi difference?

Simone looked around the crowded space. She had to leave or would flip out and be sent on the next plane home. She was also anxious about seeing Jeremy. Where was he? Would they see each other? These were the questions that went through her mind and more when she saw the women walking around. The temptation of men was overwhelming for her, she didn't want to think about how Jeremy survived five years.

Wiping off the equipment, her stomach growled loudly and she remembered she barely ate anything today. Opting to visit the cafeteria before going back to her room to read, she quickly used the bathroom and headed out.

"Simone...!"

She turned around at the familiar, deep voice and froze. Five years and two months, and there he was, waiting for her.

"Jeremy...!" Forgetting all about her hunger she ran into his arms. Immediately she pulled him closer, clutching her hands on the back of his neck. Her eyes slowly closed and she awaited the feel of his lips on hers.

"Wait...wait, not here," Jeremy said suddenly, pushing her away. He looked up and down the hallway and even through the entry to the gym to make sure no one saw her reaction. Slowly he pulled her hands from his neck and held them in his fingers. "Where are you staying?" he whispered.

"Umm...three b," she answered, noticing his response.

Jeremy nodded and began walking. He let go one of her hands, but intertwined fingers with the other. "You look good," he said, sending her a naughty grin, admiring her sweaty curves.

"I feel good, now that I'm with you," Simone answered like a giddy child. Her insides were bubbling with excitement at the thought of rekindling and she couldn't wait to be able to lay with him.

"You hungry?" he asked once they exited off the main hallway and on to a smaller one.

"Yeah, a bit. I was actually going to head to the cafe, but then you interrupted me. Are you hungry?" Simone couldn't wipe the grin off her face if she tried. Seeing Jeremy put her at ease, he reminded her of home.

"Yeah." She watched him pause and survey their surroundings before breaking off all contact. "Look, why don't you go ahead to your room, shower and stuff, and I'll go get some food for us."

"Sure." She moved in for a kiss, but was reminded of their secrecy when he moved back.

"See you in twenty..." he ordered more than asked, but she nodded anyway. With that he sent a wink and walked away. She was left alone, but something made her freeze. It was the wink, the one thing that seemed to haunt her all day. Mi'nad's winks.

"Uhh!" she huffed as the anger from earlier came creeping back. All she had was tonight of separation before she would see him again. Thank goodness, Jeremy picked tonight to spend time with her. Simone was going to need all his tricks to calm her nerves for tomorrow. And with that thought, she ran back to her room, showered and dressed in the sexy lingerie she brought.

* * *

"Where is she?" Mi'nad asked, staring out a window. He had been sitting in this lab for about forty minutes waiting for Simone, while everyone else enjoyed the start of a new day. He had already spent an hour with Max, trying to work out kinks in his connection with his avatar but nothing was working. So he planned another day to entertain her.

"Veronica, where's Simone?" Norm asked the woman who sat beside him. She was currently observing the monitors of Setu's brain.

"Uhh...shit. I think she was up pretty late though. She's been experiencing insomnia." Nica knew what Simone was up to last night; the walls were pretty thin, but she also knew that Simone was up pretty late the night before too. She figured it was from all the excitement but Simone loved her sleep.

"Well, where is her room?" Mi'nad suddenly asked. He got up from the floor, brushing himself off and stood waiting. "Nica...?"

"I'm sure she is on her way," Nica offered, trying to distract herself with another monitor, but Mi'nad was becoming frustrated. If the Na'vi spent one more second breathing down her back she was going to scream.

"Look, you want to tell me her room number or I could just go to Max. Either way I'm going to find out," Mi'nad barked out. He didn't have time for this; he was a goddamn Prince.

"324B..." Both Nica and Mi'nad turned toward Norm, who shrugged in return. For a guy with short term memory lost, he had ways of not forgetting anything.

"Thanks," the Na'vi prince said and went about his way. From weekly patrols he knew his way around the base and easily followed a shortcut to her wing. By time he got to 3B's hallway he was beyond pissed. He didn't realize it at the time, but he really wanted to see her, at least talk to her, alone. To him, he was making an effort.

Coming up to her door, he bent down and knock. The sheer force behind his fist vibrated the whole frame and he heard a curse. "Fuck...who is it?"

The sounds of movement echoed through the door and Mi'nad began to wonder if she had just slept in.

"Who is it?" Simone called. She pulled her robe over her naked body and fingered her hair. She looked toward her bed and noticed Jeremy had left. Why didn't he wake her, she thought. She was over two hours late and knew this was a big problem. "Shit..." she whispered, running up to the door and opening.

"I'm so sorry, I overslept... Mi'nad?" Simone's eyes went up the big man's body and landed on his striking eyes. Quickly, anger turned into surprise as he looked at her. "What are you doing here?"

Suddenly, the softness in his face hardened and he glared at her.

"We were supposed to spend time together. But you have forgotten," he hissed.

"No, no, I haven't," she stammered for an excuse, but nothing came to mind. "I just overslept. Listen, let me dress and we will go, immediately."

Mi'nad stood there, silent, while Simone tightened her robe and rubbed a hand down her face. For some reason, she became insecure under his eyes and wished that she could sink back into the shadows.

Seeing her discomfort, Mi'nad's anger faltered for a bit and he assessed his position. Why did her absence affect him so much? Why was he driven by madness to visit her room? What did he think he would find? Was she with a mate?

"Fine. I will be outside waiting with Tekaya." He turned away swiftly, but having an afterthought, stopped. "If you are not out soon, I will leave," he said with finality.

Simone watched on, astonished. He didn't turn around to look at her, but barked the order. She wanted to be angry and tell him to kiss her ass, but at the same time, she knew the importance of working with him. He was to teach her about his clan and people. If she had the knowledge that Max, Norm, or even Grace had, than she could be able to teach courses about these people, spread the knowledge of their culture and customs with her world. One day, she had to think about starting a family and making an income without moving around so much; teaching was her goal.

Realizing she was still at the door, Simone hastily went about her routine to get dress. This time she opted on a pair of wrinkled cargo pants and a yellow tank top. She looked around for a light shirt to place over her skin in case the bugs became a nuisance. Quickly, she threw her hair in a bun and snatched up her small note bag.

"Hey, is everything prepared?" Simone called out as she rushed into the lab. Standing there waiting, was Nica with her travel bag. In the canvas carrier was a camera, sketch pad, writing utensils, air mask and several small cans of oxygen, some protein bars and other things.

"Yeah and you're late," Nica stated, flatly.

"I know," Simone said, apologetically and reached for the bag. "Where is Norm?"

"Out with your partner. He had a fit when he found out you weren't here. But I'm guessing prince charming finally arrived." Nica emphasized her ending statement with a little scratch on her chest. At first Simone watched in confusion, until she looked down at herself and saw the small hickey. Heat rushed to her cheeks as she thought about her late night activities.

"I tell you later..." Simone whispered shyly and grabbed her kit. Nica just shook her head and followed the rushing woman outside.

Instantly Simone switched on her breathing mask and was blinded by the sun. With everything in hand, she searched for Mi'nad and found him almost immediately. It was like a pull he had over her. His eyes were watching her intensely, almost hypnotic and she seemed to fall into a trance when connected with him.

Shivering, Simone swallowed all feelings and began walking over to him and the waiting doctor.

"...Max will be on site a couple of meters away from your tree. If anything happens, take her straight to him. She has extra oxygen and some safety items, but she's not a Na'vi, yet. Remember she is tiny and inexperience, keep her close..."

Mi'nad nodded even though he was hardly listening. How could someone so small be so infuriating to him. He was Prince and she was nothing more than a bug to his people, yet she seemed to control his every thought and emotions. He watched as she struggled over to him with a large backpack in hand and a small bag hanging over her shoulder. She was over prepared, he thought, but the words never escaped his mouth. They would only be there until midday tops.

_"Yes I know, Norm. She dies and so do I," _Mi'nad responded, before petting Tekaya.

"Hey, I'm so sorry. Its been one of those days," Simone apologized. She greeted Norm with a huge smile and another apology before glancing over to the Na'vi prince. In his smugly like fashion, he stood tall and firm, nothing hinting to a sign of forgiveness.

"It's okay, but you should go, so you have much light," Norm said and helped her with her bags. Mi'nad had already holstered a basket on the side of his ikran for carrying her things and quickly packed her bags away. Tightening the air mask, Simone moved forward to Mi'nad and waited.

And he let her wait there for many seconds. He slowed his actions down and ignored her movements. He was over this babysitting job. Where was the fun and excitement he signed up for. The battle practice and preparation to be a warrior like his father was trained. But instead he was stuck pretending to aid a female, a weak one at that..

_"Mi'nad, are you ready?" _Norm asked picking up on the prince's actions. If it wasn't for Jake he would have been dropped his son from this program for the attitude. But of course it only strengthen the boy's leadership.

_"Yes. Is my newly-found shadow ready?" _He answered back, making sure to look at Simone.

"Simone, are you ready?" Simone nodded her answer to Norm's question, but didn't take her eyes away from Mi'nad. He was challenging her, this she knew. Why it was happening was another story.

"Yes, whenever Mi'nad is ready..."

"I am ready now," he interrupted her before jumping on the back of Tekaya. The bird moaned with ferocity, drawing its large beak backwards. A loud cry alarmed everyone around. Mi'nad stroked the giant bird tenderly and she embraced him in return. "Don't look into her eyes," he stated before turning towards Simone and holding out his hand.

Nervous as all hell, Simone hesitated and swallowed deeply before wrapping her small fingers around his large ones. Her eyes widened at the slight spark in his touch. Mi'nad noticed Simone reaction and knew she felt the same things as him. He felt her pull away, but he tightened his hold. Shocked, her brown eyes flew up to his. And he held the gaze.

Simone didn't know what to do; having him look so openly. In this gaze, she didn't feel like a small pest to him. This time she saw more in his eyes, as if he was seeing her for the first time. Uncomfortable and slightly curious, Simone was caught off guard by him again.

In a pull, he lifted her enough to hold her waist and bring her on his bird. Simone plopped down on the cool flesh of the animal, skin similar to that of a reptile. Afraid to touch, let alone move, she looked quickly at Norm and prayed for his help. What she got was the help from someone else.

Slowly Mi'nad slid his hand across her waist. He tried not to concentrate on the thought of a woman, but he couldn't help but linger on her taunt stomach. She was extremely nervous, he could feel her shivers. Automatically, he moved closer to her, bringing his front against her back and tightening his grip around her waist.

Simone gasped at the closeness of their proximity. She was also affected by the feeling of his warm skin caressing her body. She wanted to relax, knew she had to, but there was this aura that was overpowering her senses. An earthy musk whiffed off his body and the rising heat he emanated was doing more things to her than it should. "Relax," she heard his words whisper in her ear. His deep voice rumble through her body and hit her right below is fingers, right at her core.

"I'm trying..." she stuttered out.

Mi'nad could still feel her shaking and knew she would eventually scare Tekaya. So he had to act fast and rational. "Okay, let's try something different."

Simone heard his words, processed them, but couldn't speak. Tekaya was starting to rouse and move, no doubt feeling her anxiety. She knew her actions were being watched by many, if not all, people on the loading dock. But she just couldn't respond to him at all.

"Simone, I'm going to lift you and turn you towards me. Are you alright with that?" he asked her again calm, but was already starting to position her. He wrapped his other hand on her waist and tightened. "Trust me."

Instantly, Simone pulse quickened, a shockwave of emotions exploded through her body. Trust him...? she thought about the words. He said them with such intimacy and conviction. That was what they were to do, was trust each other. And Simone knew she had to start.

Mi'nad only needed to see her head nod once before he lifted her off Tekaya's back and turned her to face him. He looked down at the small woman, who's eyes didn't reach his. He sat her back on the creature, their chest front to front. "Hold on..." Mi'nad ordered and grabbed his braids. Instantly he linked it with the Ikran and wrapped his arms back around her. But this time, Simone was hugging him back.

"You ready?" Mi'nad asked out of politeness.

Simone heard the words through his hard chest. And she opened her mouth to answer, but what came out was not a simple yes or no. It was, "I do trust you." Her voice so soft that the wind barely carried the words. But she knew he heard, cause seconds later the bird roared loudly and flew.

"This is what you came for, open your eyes..."Mi'nad repeated as they flew over the forest.

They been in air for nearly forty minutes and Simone had yet to moved from his chest. At first Mi'nad was fine with it, she was scared; humans had a right to fear. But after thirty minutes of flying, she could at least switch her weight over to his opposite rib.

"I can't!" Simone screamed. She felt immense pressure from the wind on her body, pushing her closer to him. "It's not an issue of seeing, but I can't move. The wind is too strong!" she yelled once again.

Mi'nad could barely hear her. He would slouch down, but he needed to keep his eyes open for predators.

"I said, I can't!" Simone yelled again, this time turning her face up to his. She caught him while he stared straight a head, the intensity of flying written all over his face, his very handsome face. Simone's mind contorted him into a human male and knew he would be a heartthrob. Probably forget all about her with the tone woman back on base. As she continued to think her mind starting turning toward Jeremy. How did he avoid the women...or did he?

Her eyes were on him, he felt it. At first, Mi'nad paid no attention to it, but after more time went on and she didn't move away from him, he was intrigued. Looking down, he caught her face transform between emotions. At first she was neutral, blank, cute...and then she became worried. Her forehead tensed, eyebrows scrunched together and her jaw locked. And soon she was transforming into something else...anger.

"Hey, Simone..." he whispered, trying to bring her out of her thoughts. He wasn't sure what he was doing wrong. Was this a reaction for him, were her thoughts on something they did together. "Simone, what are you thinking?" he asked her again, but she was still in her head. Quickly, he scanned the area they were flying over, soon they would be home, before he looked back down at her. He needed a way to snap her out of her stupor but he didn't want to move his arms from around her. Instead he used another part.

His tail curled toward the front where she sat and gently rubbed her arm. Mi'nad began whispering her name, while his tail moved further up her body. This time he was on her shoulder, before moving to her neck. "Simone...?" Mi'nad called, this time worrying more and more. "Simone..."

He watched as his tail moved up again and stopped at the side of her face. Slowly, he allowed it to lay on her skin before caressing path down her jaw line. He repeated the emotion one more time, before he saw a flicker in her eye.

"Simone?"

"What...?"

"Are you okay?" He asked as Hometree came into view.

"Yeah..." Simone answered, confused. "Why?"

"I've been saying your name for a while and you haven't been answering. But...well, there is something bothering you?"

Simone looked up at him and hesitated. She debated lying or just confessing her problems. However, neither happened as they swoop through a bunch of branches before landing. By this time, Simone was quickly distracted.

"Oh my god...how beautiful is this?"

Mi'nad watched as she gushed over everything. Being an 'ethnologist' or so he was told she was, he was surprised by her appreciation for the land. Even when he guided her through the tough bark and picked her up when the ground proved to be an obstacle, she was still enamored over the beauty.

"Do you eat these plants...?" Simone asked looking at simple green leaves. They seemed larger than her head, but she figured to the Na'vi they would be simple lettuce.

Mi'nad was off to the side, keeping watch, when Simone's voice traveled through the clearing. He didn't worry about predators since they were still on the Omaticayan land and barely animals crossed that line, but what threat he did forget about Simone was about to touch.

"No! Don't touch," he barked and scared the shit out of Simone and a couple of birds. Before she knew it, he snatched her hand away from the bush and practically dragged her away from the clearing. "Do you have to be curious about everything? You would have touched that and by nightfall be covered in pus-filled boils until the mucus killed you by next morning."

Simone stayed quiet as Mi'nad continued to snap her head off. She thought that he would be worried about his consequences for her injuries and potential death, but Norm, Max or even JakeSully, never escaped his lips. All he kept saying was how hard-headed, how curious, or how 'human' she was acting. By time Mi'nad eased his grip on her, or shut up, they were approaching the ground floor of the Omaticayan's base.

"Mi'nad...do you think I'm ready for this?" Intimidated, Simone moved closer to Mi'nad and tried not to look so scared. Even from outside, she recognized the many blue people gathered in the center of the tree. Then here she was, walking into their home, wearing an obnoxious face mask, baking from the humidity and barely reaching Mi'nad's hips. If she was looking at herself, she looked weak and vulnerable. The Omaticayan tribe could easily eat her alive.

_"I see you..." _Mi'nad tried to keep a calm expression even though his tribe was now forming a circle around him and Simone. They greeted him in the Na'vi way and even embraced him hugs and an occasional kiss, but their eyes were on the human. Simone, however, was nearly stepping on his toes. She lingered so close to him that he could feel the heat radiating off of her. He knew she was nervous; he was nervous for her. Bringing her to his clan on her first day out was not a part of the plan, for good reasons.

"_Mi'nad?" _

At the familiar call, he eased up a little. In the distance his mother was making her way toward him. The crowd parted as Neytiri moved forward. Mi'nad was back early, she thought, but her questions were answered as soon as she made it to the clearing. "_Mi'nad, what is she doing here?" _

Simone froze. She was surrounded by large blue people and she never thought her fear could increase to level it was at now. The Na'vi's large eyes never left her body; some of them held weapons, others held their children. She heard talking from her side and identified Mi'nad's voice, but her eyes never left the people.

_"The transformation didn't work again. So Max thought it would be best that I teach her some things about us in the meantime," _Mi'nad answered truthfully. If there was anyone that could tell the difference between truth and lies, it was his mother. Neytiri, however, lost interest in her son and took in the small woman. Her skin was the color of the earth; dark and brown. She was the height of the older children, yet she looked so vulnerable.

"How long have you been taking her into the land?" Neytiri asked her son in the human's language. All she needed was for her people to think she was snooping around. By the way Simone observed everything she knew she was a scientist, and they were forbidden outside the gates.

Mi'nad rubbed a sweaty palm across his thigh and looked down at Simone. Yes, he was avoiding his mother's gaze. "This is her first day," he answered and whispers filled the clearing. He looked out at his clan, in awe over Simone's presence, but then he noticed most of them were women. "Where is father and the others?" He asked his mother.

"They went hunting. Your father tried to wait for you, but he didn't want to waste the sunlight. What are you going to do with her?" Mi'nad watched as his mother assessed the woman; their first meeting. Beyond introductions, he was at a lost. Then he thought of his father.

"Come on," he said to Simone, wrapping his fingers around her arm.

"Where are you going?" Neytiri asked, suddenly.

_"To find father, he will know what she wants." _

Mi'nad thought it would be easy to just pass her along, but it was taking more time for them to get away from Hometree than he thought. His clan took precautions in setting up their home. They planted seeds of trees and flowers that posed no harm to anyone along the borders and they changed the landscape so they little ones did not have to leave the security of home for some excitement. However, this backfired for Mi'nad because Simone never wanted to leave.

The longer they stayed in the area of his clan, the more she found amusing. The children of his people came out to play with her; teaching her all they knew. Simone in turn, followed behind them as if they were her guides. All the Na'vi Prince did was sit on the ground and supervised the playing.

Soon, their days together was becoming longer. Mi'nad would fly into base and Simone would be already waiting. She quickly lost her fear in flying on the large creature and actually became quite nice to Tekaya. The other female in question wasn't so nice to her back. Several times Mi'nad would have to snatch Tekaya's jaw away from biting Simone. Yet the woman would still hop on.

Mi'nad on the other hand was starting to enjoy their time as well. Along with giving her tours through the air, he began teaching her some of his native language. He marveled at her enthusiasm to learn and how she quickly picked up. Sometimes when he was really impressed, he would take her back to Hometree and visit with the children.

Simone loved everything about her exploration at this moment. Her daily trips with Mi'nad was stress relieving and often fun. He brought her to his clan several times, teaching her something new about the people. The Na'vi welcomed her with open arms and often it was the children to be the first to approach. She would laugh at her size compared to the young ones, both nearly the same height, But their strength amused her, just like Mi'nad's did.

Whenever she found herself unoccupied or standing on the side of some sport, she would seek out the Na'vi man and watch him. She was enamored by he's finesse and grace even though he was so tall. He was extremely skillful in any combat sport and very smart when it came to mind challenges. She also observed how tone his body was. The feline comparison in his anatomy allowed for different muscle to be visible. Though he was toned, he was very muscular. She loved watching his back, when he ran or hunted. In all the man was modeled after the gods.

_"Hey, what are you thinking?" _

Simone jumped nearly to the ceiling at the sound of the deep voice. Speaking of the devil.

She was currently in the lab working of some paperwork before tomorrow big retrial. One by one, the na'vi guys would come back in and try out their connections.

"Just tomorrow. Are you excited?"

_"Am I?" _He asked. It was then that Simone realized he was speaking to her in the native's tongue.

"_You should be..." _she replied back, testing her own pronunciation.

Hearing her speak, stirred something deep in Mi'nad. _"Perfect..." _The words came out deeper and huskier than he wanted but that was soon becoming the effect she had on him. Whenever he was deeply impressed or happy over her, his voice deepened and his pulse raced. The uncomfortable part was that these feelings were happening more often.

"Thank you," Simone said back. She watched the twinkle in his eyes before he winked and stood at his full height. Simone instantly missed the closeness of his body. "So why are you here?" She asked turning back to work to distract herself from the rising pressure in her groin.

_"Came to see you. And stopping speaking your language," _Mi'nad ordered. At first, he didn't know if the order seemed too dominant, but when looked deeper at her he noticed to small curve of her lip.

"_How nice. So what can I do for you?" _It's been a little over a month since they've been submersed into each other worlds, yet they still couldn't seem to separate themselves. Nica always joked about when Mi'nad would finally get tired of babysitting Simone, while Quin always cussed Mi'nad for bailing out of things for the human, but it was their bond.

_"Nothing. I was wondering if you want to go see something pretty tonight?" _Mi'nad tried to seem nonchalant about the question but as soon as it left his mouth, he began to worry. She's going to saying no, he kept telling himself. But he wasn't asking for more than a walk and someone to talk to you, right? Or did he really just want to imagine she was all his, like he has been doing lately.

Every time they went out in the last week, he could feel his possessiveness growing for her. He didn't like too many of his people talking to her, leading her away from him, and also he hated when people would distract her from his plans.

He knew he couldn't see her more than some simple pet, like Tekaya. He could never mate with Simone, besides he wasn't sure it was possible. So why was he spending his time growing so strong to this human.

"Uh...I have nothing so far," Simone responded but she saw that he wasn't

really paying attention. _"Mi'nad. Are you okay?"_ she asked, as he was one little for thinking.

_"Uh...yes. Can we just do something tomorrow? I forgot about something I'm supposed to do with Quin." _

Mi'nad saw her eyes question his response, but she wasn't going to push it. Instead she smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, sure. Besides, it's the big day. I'm sure we will be together for most of it." Simone added, but took mental note on his reaction. He was avoiding her eye contact now. He kept looking off in the distance but she knew he was thinking of something. "Mi'nad, are you sure you are okay? I mean it's perfectly normal to be scared..."

"_I have to go." _He said suddenly and threw her a quick wink before leaving.

Simone watched his tall form bump into several things on his way out. This wasn't like him. He was always posed and observant; things that never moved were the very things his body went into. Thinking for a second, Simone rushed off her stool and headed for the exit. She kept moving as she tried to pinpoint exactly where he went off to. Something was up, she could feel it.

Quickly at the exit, she picked up a mask and placed it on before taking off her medical coat. "Mi'nad!" she yelled, looking around the congested loading dock. Hundreds of men and Na'vi were scattered around making it harder to see anything. She called for him again before a birdcall brought her eye to the sky and there he was. She watched as he zoomed out of the area, fast and hard. Simone stood there watching even when she could no longer see him on the horizon, she continued to watch. Something just happened between them and she was afraid it would damage their improvement before she knew the problem.

* * *

Thanks remember to review your thoughts. I hope you liked.


	4. Chapter 4

Mi'nad is finally in his humanoid avatar and Simone is in for some trouble.

Hope you enjoy.

* * *

"Hey, Simone, your Na'vi has awoken and you will never believe what he is fascinated with..." Nica laughed through her communication device. Nica looked down on the handsome figure as his astonishment grew.

"Shit, how long ago did he wake?" Simone asked, hurrying through the ship's corridors. She was sent to check on some equipment that was imported onto base and sign the release forms. In the meantime, Mi'nad was going to be prepped and ready, but they started without her.

"Approximately...three minutes ago. But he seems...like a winner." Simone heard the laughter in her friend's voice and became intrigued. She picked up her pace as she sprinted through the central unit of the building.

"So, I'm guessing everything went well...?" Simone asked, leaping up a couple of stairs a time. If it wasn't for that unnecessary conversation afterwards with the Pilot, she would have been able to see him through. But she knew Mi'nad was brave and carefree.

"Better than well. Just hurry your ass before he moves on to another part of his anatomy." With that Nica disconnected and Simone was left feeling confused.

"What the hell are you doing, Mi'nad?" Simone asked herself before pushing through some doors. "Sorry!" she yelled as she pushed people, her excitement soared.

Another five minutes went by before she reached the lab, out of breath and curious as hell. Nica, Max and about ten other scientist were still at the observation glass watching Mi'nad.

"Hey, is he still in there?" Simone asked immediately coming to stop at Nica's side. The woman held a huge grin on her face and just nodded, looking at the man beyond the glass. Simone followed her lead and nearly gasped from surprise. Standing on the other side at 6'3 was an extremely gorgeous, human being. Mi'nad's primary features were still the same, but his avatar lacked the feline characteristics of his Na'vi DNA. Trailing further, Simone took in as much of his toned physique as she could from the hospital gown but instantly stopped when she reach his midriff. "Is he playing with his..."

"Penis? Why yes, it has been entertaining for everyone to watch..." Nica whispered in a slightly husky voice. Simone's eyes widened and looked around her. For the first time she noticed all the other doctors were women and Max was too busy checking his stats to watch below. Simone looked back through the glass and tried to seem unaffected, but she couldn't ignore the hum of her body or the watering of her mouth.

"Dirty mind, Nica. He's a subject..." she spoke crisply, and turned away. "I'm going down to greet him." And Simone left.

She walked down a couple of flights, passing his Na'vi body pod with strong vitals. This transformation was more than a major success, it was the impossible happening once again.

"I guess the first thing with being human is to mate!" Mi'nad boisterous laugh roared throughout the hallway as stood behind a metal door. Simone drew in a deep breath at the feelings which ignited through her body at the sound. The pattern was still the same, but his voice wasn't as deep and more smooth, like honey.

Slowly, she tapped his room door, before opening it and entering. "No, the erection is common when human men first awake. It is an involuntary gesture."

Hearing her voice, Mi'nad quickly turned to the entryway and paused. Simone stood there with a smirk on her face and a twinkle in her almond eyes. Instantly his pulse quickened and there was a shockwave deep in his abdomen.

Simone watched as Mi'nad's striking green eyes connected with hers. After seconds of silence, a broad smile appeared across his face, but he didn't move or respond.

Briefly lost in each other's gaze, neither noticed the confused and knowing glances from above the observational glass.

"Is its size also common among human men?" Mi'nad finally broke the silence. his words dripping with sarcasm.

"By the size of your tent, I'm afraid not. But then again, Mi'nad, you are not fully human. Your...size must have taken some traits from you true form." Simone answered quickly. Her temperature rose under his intense stare and she turned toward his monitor. The beating of his heart was strong and fast, powerful.

However, he silently watched her, observed her. When he saw enough to make a decision, he nodded before laughing. _"Oh, we are going to have some fun."_

Simone tried to ignore the change in the atmosphere. With Mi'nad now in a human body, all the barriers washed away. He wasn't ten ft tall, or from a different species. Simone snuck a glance behind her shoulder. Oblivious to her glances, Mi'nad was pacing the room, trying out different warrior positions.

"How's all the test, Doc?" Simone called to Max as soon as she finished amusing the Na'vi prince. Though he might have lost his height, his arrogance weighed the same. Even after Simone was checking his vitals, Mi'nad continued to talk about the risen shaft. He kept asking her to check it, but slightly embarrassed she called for another doctor to check him.

"Everything is going extraordinarily well. If only Grace was here to see it." He said, somberly.

Simone and Nica, gave him his space and walked toward the exit of the lab.

"So did it go down, yet?" Nica pounced on her.

"Did what go down?

"That beast between his legs?" She whispered and Simone coughed, before answering, with a mischievous smirk.

"No."

"Oh, dear god...please help me. I thought his size alone was heaven, but an erection lasting for at least half hour is surely deserved for the gods."

Simone burst out laughing, until a throat cleared behind them.

"Simone, they have gotten him dress. I'll send him over to the cafeteria once I assist something," the woman recognized as one of Max's other assistant spoke. Taking off their coats, Simone and Nica in their own thoughts. While Nica was stuck on wet daydreams, Simone was thinking about the attractiveness of Mi'nad's human. She saw his beauty as a Na'vi warrior, but now she was nervous that every other woman would see his appeal as a human man.

An hour had passed before Max finally said he was free to go. Quin and Setu were already in their avatar and picked up a quick game of basketball. But Mi'nad was looking for Simone.

"Norman, do you know where Simone went?" The newly human finally asked after searching around the lab.

"Oh, I think she went to have lunch. You should join her. I am sure she's excited to spend time with you." Norm smiled at his creation. He was incredibly happy with Mi'nad. Not only did he strive through the preparations and transition, but he submerged himself more in the human world than any other Na'vi. But he also could see the young man's feelings growing for his mentor.

Norman thought about the Simone. He noticed their bond and the attraction between them both. Now he was sure it would only tenfold with common anatomies, but he hoped that they both were smart enough to avoid their feelings.

"Thanks." Mi'nad said quickly before running off. He went to get his friends and all three set off for the cafeteria.

Entering into the large dining room, each man looked around in awe. It wasn't like they've been inactive on the base, but the world seemed different this low to the ground. Mi'nad didn't feel the power that he once possessed as a ten-foot tall giant. There wasn't that instant connection amongst the humans, the bond every Na'vi felt for their fellow people. The humans seemed to exist without noticing everything around him and this was a prime example.

Mi'nad looked around the room to see groups of people spread out everywhere. He was searching for her, but it was proving to be a difficult task. Tables were piled with people of all different colors and different ranks. He noticed some nurses sitting with soldiers, officers searching tables with doctors, yet no one seemed to notice the table beside them. He thought of just asking the first person he could for the Lab workers but a sweet, familiar laugh brought his attention to the right. There she was.

"So anyway, he's standing there with this totem pole jutting out of his body and lord only knows the different scenarios that ran through my mind..."

Simone sat quietly as Nica shared today's events with some lab technicians. Simone would laugh when the time was right, answer questions when asked, but her mind always drifted back to the Mi'nad or who he became today.

Once again she started to drift until the hairs on the back of her neck rose. The table became quiet and even Nica stopped her perverted storytelling. Instead the woman's eyes were on something behind Simone, over her head. Slowly, she looked over her shoulder and locked with green eyes.

"Mi'nad...how does it feel to be one of us?" Another scientist asked. He was someone the guys normally played sports with. Mi'nad turned from her and put on a bright smile.

"I fucking hate it..." he joked, before the whole table started laughing. Immediately people began making room for the guys to join. Quin and Setu had already started conversations with their mentors and others, while Mi'nad sat quietly beside Simone.

Simone felt his eyes on her. She knew he was watching her every move and she didn't want him to see that she was affected by the change. Instead she continued on a conversation with Nica, while people asked Mi'nad questions.

"So have you tried eating food?" Nica asked the avatars. They all shook their heads in unison. "Aww, well you should try." Nica offered them a piece of chicken that was on her plate. Simone watched as Mi'nad took the meat from her friend. He looked at her quickly and winked before shoving it into his mouth.

Mi'nad wanted to impress her, wanted to show he was still the same, but to him this eating business was...well, hard. Every time he would try to swallow a portion, the food got stuck in his throat or he would end up choking.

"Easy, boy..." Simone joked and handed him her water. She watched Mi'nad struggle to drink the cup's contents and she began to rub his back. "Don't panic," she whispered even though her heart rate was beginning to rise. Mi'nad followed her instructions and soon he was able to breath. He took big gulps of air, cherishing the crisp feeling it brought to his lungs. He continued breathing heavily while Simone continued to stroke his back. Tears began to spill out of his eyes and amazed, he scooped them up.

"It happens to the best..." Nica whispered before pouring more water into Simone's cup. Simone handed him the cup back and watched as he tipped it back. Her hand which was still on his back, moved to his neck and she began to play with his small curls. She admired his golden skin and softness of his dark tresses. The features in his face were defined, his eyebrows thick and dark. And his lips...Simone ended her observation at his full lips. Little drips of water slipped from his mouth and slid down his chin.

Mi'nad breathing stopped. Everything Simone was doing made his breathing halt. Her fingers were tender and light, but he still feel it. Her scent, like fresh rain and flowers, swam through his nostrils. Even her glances were nerve-wreaking. He wanted something, but it was impossible.

Mi'nad didn't know when it happened, or how feelings could've happened. But he did know it was there. This bond. He felt chills. His heart raced. He knew if she looked deep enough, she would see his desire. her. He had no reason to come to base all those times, but he needed to see her, hear her, feel her. As the humans say, he was falling in love.

"Hey, what's all the commotion?" Both Simone and Mi'nad jumped at the newcomer. Simone was the first to pull away and look behind. Max stood there with Norm and couple of other scientist. The look of confusion was clearly on his face and she knew he saw their moment.

"Oh, the Na'vis thought they would battle eating. Prince over there choked," A male doctor answered.

"Well maybe we should slow down some. Do you agree Dr. Mason?" Max asked.

Simone face flushed under his intensity before she squared her shoulders and feigned ignorance. "Oh, just because he choked doesn't mean we have to slow down. The man's starving!" she cheered and everyone followed. Simone turned back to the table and awkwardly put space between her and Mi'nad. Max dropped the subject and grabbed a seat at the end of the table.

* * *

"So I'm sleeping here?"

Mi'nad looked around the tiny metal box, before looking back at Simone. All the room fit was a bed, table, and a small kitchenette.

"Mi'nad, it's only to store your avatar," she answered. The freshly built rooms were down the hall from the lab and it was secured under surveillance.

"Well, why can't I be closer to you?" he asked. Simone just stared at him from the threshold.

"Because Max wants the avatars close. It all for precautions. My wing is too far." She glance at the hallway ceiling where a security camera was set up. Feeling like her privacy was violated, she walked inside the room and closed the door. "Look just because there's a treaty over our heads, doesn't mean that everyone like what Max is doing. In fact most people don't understand why Na'vi have to have a human avatar."

Mi'nad straightened at the confession. He has heard rumors around his camp about unease with the human's base. Other tribes were moving closer to Hometree, ready for another war. The only people that weren't whispering were his parents, but they had to know. "What do you know?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said distractedly.

He watched as she moved around the room; opening the window dressings, turning on a light, even fluffing his pillow. She was nervous, he could sense it. However he was nervous too.

"There's a..." Simone started.

"Will you..." Mi'nad began.

They both stopped and laughed.

"You first," The Prince ordered.

"Alright," she said and straightened his back. "There's a party, an event to celebrate a high rankings birthday at the end of the week. I was wondering if you wanted to come...in your avatar form, of course. It would be great for you to observe more intimate setting amongst humans, to personally see our customs."

So that's why she was nervous, thought Mi'nad. While he wanted her to stay in his room, she was thinking about festivities. He cursed his new found emotions.

"Yeah, sure." He answered swiftly.

"Okay! Yeah, we should have fun. There will be dancing and drinking...oh no drinking for you," she paused to look at his current outfit. They had him in standard military gear. "Maybe Norm can get you some real clothes tomorrow. I'll ask."

For first time since entering his room, she stopped moving. She was standing near the window, the rising moon cast a glow upon her face. Mi'nad followed his instinct to move closer. They stood within a foot of each other, both using the outside as an excuse to avoid their feelings.

_"I see you." _Mi'nad whispered the words that reminded him of the first time he saw her. She was on the other side of the glass as beautiful as she was now. He looked at her reflection to find Simone staring back. _"I see you." _he repeated.

"What does that mean?" Simone asked as chills encased her skin.

_"It means that our souls are connected. That my soul sees your soul." _

Simone touched her heart as it swelled, but Mi'nad misunderstood the movement. He turned to her and reached for her hand. Slowly he wrapped his fingers around hers and guided them toward her center.

_"This is your being. While Na'vi reach Ewya through our heads, humans find their center here."_

Simone was flabbergasted by his communication; verbally and physically. They were no longer inches apart, but mere centimeters. She no longer stared at him through a glass, but directly in his eyes.

"How do you..." she began but Mi'nad shushed her.

_"Speak in my tongue." _His words were intimidate, no longer casual. His breaths were caressing her cheeks and his hand continued to hold hers.

_"Where did you learn that?" _she uttered the words lightly, first time feeling nervous.

_"My father. He was human once but his heart was Na'vi. Ewya blessed him with a second chance at life, the right way." _

_"Your father is Jake Sully. I know his story." "Do you know his love story?"_

Simone straightened at the words. Everyone knew of how he mated with Neytiri, the Omaticayan princess. "_Everyone knows about your parents."_

_"But do they know about their love, their bond. That passion can not be retold exactly, you must be in love like them to understand."_

"Could it ever happen again," she whispered, slipping into the humans language.

_"Are you asking if a Na'vi and human could ever love again?" _he answered, moving closer to her.

Silence was his answer, but she gave a reaction. Her free hand moved to Mi'nad's cheek before going to his hair. She stared in his eyes and stood on her toes. Tilting her head up, she waited for their lips to meet.

Mi'nad shivered at the sudden embrace. Her lips were softer than they look and her dominance took him off guard. However he quickly recovered, letting go of her hand and wrapped his around her waist. What started as a small peck, soon turned into more.

Simone applied pressure in her hand to bring him closer. Her lips parted and her tongue slid across his bottom lip. She gasped when he opened his mouth and graced her with his own tongue. As seconds went by, they continued to lip and taste, suck and nip, until neither one could barely stand.

A sudden bang echoed from outside and immediately Simone jumped out of his arm. As quick as he let go, she stumbled backwards and fell on her butt.

"Simone...!" Mi'nad reached out for her, but she was too fast.

"I'm alright...I swear I'm fine," she said unconvincingly. She quickly got to her feet and ran for the door.

"Simone...wait," Mi'nad started to follow but she had already opened the door and was swiftly walking away. "Wait..." he called one last time, but she was already gone.

* * *

Thanks for reading. Juicy goodness in next chapter. Remember to leave me some love.


	5. Chapter 5

Hey everyone...guess who's back. I know its been a while, but I have grown in and out of love with this story. A bunch of it is written, which means I know the entire ending, butttttt the middle part is tough. So let's plough through it together!

Hope you enjoy,

* * *

"So girl, what are you planning on wearing to the captain's ball?"

Already dressed with full hair and makeup, Veronica moved from Simone's bedroom window to look at her friend. Her gold strapless, floor length gown shimmered in the bright overhead light. She dressed up it with an orange bead necklace and orange heels. Her skin glowed from Pandora's sun and her hair was a bundle of waves. She looked drop-dead gorgeous, while Simone on the other hand was still in a towel.

"So, what are you wearing, Simone?" she asked for a second time. Simone turned away from the closet and pulled out a one sleeve, military green sheath she often wore back home. "Will this work?"

"If you want to send all the guys my way…sure, put on that garbage." Her friend huffed.

"Well, what do you think I should put on. He will be there," Simone questioned, referring to her fiancé.

"And so will he…" Veronica replied, referring to a certain prince.

Simone could no longer deny the attraction between them and now everyone recognized it. However, she needed to remind herself that she's a taken woman and he needs to keep in mind that he is a Na'vi Prince, bound to marry the princess of another tribe. More importantly, they needed to remember they were different species.

Veronica saw the confliction in Simone's eyes and she pitied her friend. "Look, why don't I go to my room and bring something back. Besides, we went through everything you have and nothing will do, especially with only a half an hour left," she smiled to lighten her words and the mood.

Before any protest, Veronica left the room. Simone listened to her heels disappear down the hallway. She slumped down at her vanity and pulled the towel from my damp hair. Deciding to wear it curly, she poured moisturizer in her palm and rubbed it through. With the top drawer ajar, Simone grabbed her usual pair of studs and her fingers brushed against something rugged. She looked down at a beaded necklace with native Pandora stones dripping from the center. It was Mi'nad's necklace, actually the one he gave her from his tribe. Running her fingers along the precious material, she opted to wear this, gently placing it around her neck.

"So I was thinking this print would look beautiful with…" Veronica burst through the doorway, only stopping when she looked at Simone's reflections. "Wow, where the hell did you pull that from?"

"Mi'nad brought it to me," Simone answered, sheeply.

"As a personal present…?"

"As a village gift," Simone responded, sharply. She knew how her friend thought. They've travelled to plenty of indigenous tribes to know the power of jewelry. Veronica thought this was more than simple. "Any way, where's the dress?"

With widened eyes and Cheshire smile, Veronica dangled a red from her raised fingertips. "You'll be saying 'come get me, boys.'" The red and sultry dress, with gathers throughout, promised to show off every inch of her curves and buxom cleavage.  
"Oh, Ewya, this will be a long neck."

Fourty-five minutes later, the ladies were well into the party, polishing off two shots and a cocktail drink to make up for lost time. Mi'nad was nowhere to be seen, but neither was Norm or Max. Surprised, Simone found Jeremy at the captain's table, yet he didn't acknowledge her passed a glance. This 'secret' relationship was harder every day, testing her will power with the separation and loss of intimacy. Was discretion needed?

Lost in thought over that stupid man, Simone missed the initial silence that took over the massive banquet room.

"Simone." Veronica's call was enough to alert her.

"Yes?"

"Umm…your boy is here and gaining lots of attention. " The woman's eyes were trained on something in the middle of the room.

Simone followed gaze; all three human avatars stood with the rest of the research crew. Immediately, Jeremy led the group of superiors over to Mi'nad, looking less than impressed and more insulted. The tension busted through the room; Simone went into action.

Four inch stilettos couldn't slow her down. She closed the distance as Jeremy stood head to head with Mi'nad. While the captain spoke to max, the guys were in death glares.

Simone sliced through the emotional barrier and addressed the men. "Jeremy…I mean Lt. Jeremy, I would like you to meet the Prince of the Omaticayan tribe, Mi'nad. Prince Mi'nad, Lt. Jeremy Wilcox."

Neither men said and anything and just stared at each other.

"This party was invitation only, Max. This you know," Simone overheard the Captain. Astonished by his total disregard of their honored guest, she moved toward them, but Jeremy stopped her. Hard eyes and strong grip, Simone froze from her fiance's reaction.

"Well since your people are stationed on our planet, the Prince's land, there's never a place he is not invited to," Setu responded sharply. Simone and Veronica stole a glance at each other, while the intensity thickened. Setu was the calmer one. Her eyes went to Quin, who was in fighting stance, one hand holding something in his pocket.

"Everyone, just…breathe," Max spoke up. "The guys came to see how Americans party; to enjoy some good food, music, and witness human harmony," he stressed 'harmony .' Taking advantage of the silence, Simone stepped in.

"Veronica, can you take the guys over to get a drink?" she asked.

Seeing her friend's despair, Ronnie ushered Quin and Setu to follow her, Mi'nad kept his ground.

"Mi'nad…go." Simone whispered, seeking for his eye contact. He and Jeremy battled in their own staring contest. "Mi'nad…" she repeated, before switching in his native language. "_They are just a little tense, can you go with Veronica?" _

_ "And leave you here with the arrogant fool? No,"_ he replied, yet his eyes still remained the same.

"What the hell are you two talking about?" Jeremy asked bitterly.

"Nothing," Simone snapped, turning back to Mi'nad. "_I don't need you to be my savior. Just go or you are going to make everything worst. " She_ watched his tense veins descend and disappear. Mi'nad took a deep breath and for the first time glanced at her. While Simone embraced his gaze with a soft, reassuring expression, Mi'nad eyes took in her necklace and they softened.

_"Fine, but if he touches you again…" _His eyes stared up at Jeremy._ "…I will cut of your _fucking _hand and feed it to my Ikran." _

Max, Norm, and SImone blanched at his departed words. "Did he just say fucking?" Jeremy inquired, but Simone's thoughts were still on the prince. When did he become so possessive? She was nothing to him…or so she thought. Norm and Max continued to buffer the situation; offer compliments and sweet suggestions wherever they could get in. Though silent, Jeremy was fuming inside. His eyes replayed the intimate conversation between his fiancée and that savage. "We need to talk," he whispered.

His words brought Simone out of her thoughts and back the highly decorated LT. "I agree, but not now." she replied, briskly.

"Tonight…after all this. Come to me…and wear your ring." Without waiting for an answer Jeremy walked away and straight into the arms of the bar.

Simone looked around for Veronica, finding them at a table. She walked over quickly and grabbed a sit across from Mi'nad. _"What was that pissing contest?" _

Instantly, his eyes met hers and he raised an eyebrow._ "Pissing contest?" _he asked confused_. _

_ "You know exactly what I am talking about. You want to start another war, Mi'nad? Because this one you won't win," _her voice intense and full of rage.

_ "Are you sure about that? A Sulley won before, I am sure another can win again," _cockiness oozing into every world.

_ "You've become arrogant, but remember you are no longer in your native form." _She said dismissively."Now, where can I find some shots?"

Five shots and two drinks later, Simone found herself gazing out of the floor-to –ceiling windows of the mess hall. A small part of her missed the forest. She's been shut on base since Mi'nad started using his avatar. She longed to be back amongst the florescent lights of nature, where nothing mattered but learning…nothing except from him. Mi'nad reaction to Jeremy caught her off guard. His threat replayed in her mind every second, and soon she found it difficult to just sit near him.

She looked toward the window as an escape from reality. Her heart betrayed her and fell for another when she was engaged. Jeremy was everything to her, yet Mi'nad turned into her blanket, her rock. She summed it up to the amount of time they spent together.

"I don't apologize." Instantly, Simone cursed herself and the heavens for haunting her.

Mi'nad stood close, far closer than he should, yet he couldn't stay away. He watched her every move since she left the table. When she reached the window and stayed there, he decided to make amends.

"Why would I expect that from a future King?" Simone sipped the rest of her vodka drink.

_"Because I shamed you and that is what you humans believe one in my position should do." _Mi'nad answered.

"You're English is fine, why did you switch?" He moved to her right side, but the view was the last thing on his mind.

_"I don't need one of these fools to hear me admit when I am wrong." _He confessed, a smirk on his lips.

Simone gasped. "You, wrong, my lord? Impossible…" she laughed and the ice melted between them. Her eyes wandered to his profile. He was beautiful, she admitted to herself. His strong jaw, shoulder length hair pulled back, and long eyelashes worked to his advantage. She wondered how many women went after him already.

"What?" Mi'nad asked, feeling her gaze. He met her hazy brown eyes and goofy grin. He matched her expression with his own.

"Dance with me…" she said, throwing her problems to the wind, or just letting the alcohol take control.

Astonished, Mi'nad paused before he looked toward the hall. "Here?"

"Sure." Simone offered an open palm. For the first time tonight, Mi'nad laughed and allowed her to step into his arms. "Do you still remember how to dance?"

"Never could forget, and speak my native tongue," he whispered and he took her hand. They moved together in a liquid watz, their form relaxed and steps clumsy but they were stuck in the moment.

"_Was this a dance your father taught you?"_ Simone obeyed and Mi'nad spun her as a reward.

"_Actually, I learnt from my mother. She was so excited to teach me after she attended a human wedding on the base. So there we were, the only two Omaticayan dancing with Skywalkers surrounding us. "_

Simone chuckled. _"I wish I could see that. I learned from my mother. She was dancer back home and traveled all over learning and teaching foreign dances."_

Mi'nad watched as her eyes glasses over and she became lost in her memories. After seconds, her expression darkened and she blinked back to the present. _"What happened to her?"_

Simone tried to gather her strength but the lost was still fresh. "She died of cancer."

"_She must have been beautiful,"_ he added. He wiped away a lone tear from her check.

"Oh she was. My father would always tell me stories of how she captivated him. I still think he couldn't look away from her hips."

He laughed in response, and wished he could hear her tell him stories every day, especially if she used the Na'vi's language. Not only was her voice attractive, but she was beautiful to him physically and emotionally. He could only wonder how he would be affected by her avatar. "Your avatar should be done in a week. Are you excited?"

"Oh, you bet your royal ass, I am. I can't wait to just be free without any oxygen masks; to finally be able to defend myself against Pandora's environment. I mean, I wouldn't need you as a protector anymore, just a guide. "

Suddenly, Simone was on cloud nine, just thinking about her avatar. A month ago, Max told her it was incomplete but now her work could begin. She would observe this foreign world as a real contender. "Are you excited for me?" She asked, gazing up in his green eyes.

"More than you can imagine…" he whispered, his voice sent chills up her spine. "Maybe we should go get a drink," he added immediately.

Simone nodded, but her mind reeled over his answer. What did he mean? Would he ditch her? Before she could vocalize her concerns, he led her to the bar.

Completely new to human libations, Mi'nad allowed the bartenders to pick the drinks. What sat in front of them two seconds later, were shots. "What is this?" he asked.

"Rye whiskey, and a lemon," the bartender answered with a smirk.

"Is it good?" she asked.

"Delicious and Smokey," the guy responded before sitting down two more. "Once you start, you won't stop." And that couldn't be any closer to the truth.

Two more shots later, both Simone and Mi'nad were pleasantly sated and drunk. Veronica and Quin had checked on them plenty of times, Max and Norm sent their warnings, but the pair continued searching for freedom. Mi'nad was the first to find it.

Drunkenly, he stood from his stood and tried for balance. _"How do I find the lavatories?"_ He asked Simone, who was giggling to herself.

"Over there…" she answered and sucked on a piece of fruit. She gave up on him switching languages; the drunker he was the worst he became at both languages.

"_You have to give me detailed directions, my pet," _he teased.

Simone chuckled, though everyone else stared at Mi'nad. "Well one, on base, humans don't normally speak your language…" she added, before getting to her feet. "and two, follow me."

Once off the stool, Simone made to stand straight and lost her balance. "Okay, lovely. You are not safe by yourself. " Mi'nad ushered her towards the closest doorway.

"Bathroom!" Simone yelled, as they approached the sign. "You pee, I will stand and wait**." **

Mi'nad watched as she leaned up against the wall, her legs crossed at the ankles and her arms splayed behind her. He nodded and entered the communal bathroom.

Simone tried to stay balance and wait, but each second was harder. She decided to switch positions, leaning on her side when Jeremy came down the hall, fixing himself. "Jeremy…" she slurred.

"Simone! Where are you going?" he asked, shock in his voice.

"To my room," she answered, most of her concentration on her posture.

"You are drunk." He said simply and looked around.

"I know."

"Let me take you to my room." Jeremy walked to, his arm outstretched. He made to sandwich her between his body and the wall, but she had other plans.

This caught her attention. Any minute Mi'nad would exit and she had to avoid any confrontation. "No, I am fine. Go back to the party; I wouldn't want anybody to get suspicious. " She stepped away and the ground spun. Simone let out a shriek, falling, yet she never reached the ground. Solid arms were around her waist, tan arms that didn't belong to Jeremy. And this did not comfort her fiancé.

"Get your fucking hands off her, alien," Jeremy snared, immediately pissed. He grabbed Simone by the arm and pulled her out of Mi'nad's comfort.

"Jeremy, stop please," Simone begged; humiliation morphed across her face.

Simone watched Jeremy's eyes snapped toward her in disgust. "Stop what? Making sure my future wife doesn't get snatched up in the trees." Before Simone could say anything, Mi'nad hissed. Jeremy growled back at Mi'nad, with a quivering lip. "You can take him out the woods, but you can't teach a monkey new tricks."

"Jeremy!" Wide eyed Simone felt the need to punch him. She looked at him with suddenly sober eyes.

Simone snatched her arm out of his grasp and took a step backward. Jeremy focused back on his fiancée's face, seeing nothing short of hatred. Quickly, he understood her 'misinterpretation.' "Don't look at me like that. I didn't say anything to offend you."

"Really, because I'm sure those same words were said about my people."

"Your people...? So, what you turning this into some racial shit? Don't look at me like I'm some backwards hick wearing a bedspread. I'm marrying you, aren't I?"

"That doesn't count for anything. Is this how you are when I'm not around, calling people monkeys except for yourself?" Stunned, Simone never thought her future husband carried this side to him.

Jeremy huffed at her over sensitivity and rubbed his brow. He looked at her through irritated eyes and just wanted this to be over with. "I'm not racist alright? It sounds stupid that I have to say this after fucking ten years, all because of some stupid savage."

Simone had no more words or tolerance for his ignorance. Quickly, she turned away rather than smack the shit out of him and was immediately stopped. Jeremy gripped up her arm in anger and frustration. He wouldn't stand for her to humiliate him as an officer or her future husband. "Don't walk away from me..." he growled, but in a matter of seconds, his grip was lost, a man between them and he was pinned against the wall. His collar was rumpled in Mi'nad's fist while the prince refrained himself from breaking his neck.

"What did I tell you about putting your hands on her?" He hissed. _"Should, I kill you?" _

Simone watched the interaction carefully. Though Jeremy might have been lost in translation of Mi'nad's foreign tongue, she easily picked up the word 'kill.'

Jeremy stared at this man, but could only see the blue savages who thought they own his base. Jealousy overpowered rage, but now was not a time for battle. They would get their chance to settle everything. Their poor arrows and spares to his guns, knives and the beast.

"Mi'nad, let him go," Simone said after she saw the look in Jeremy eyes. She didn't want any more trouble.

Mi'nad looked over at her and melted with the sadness in her eyes. He heard the human's words; she was to marry that fucker. How could she want to spend the rest of her life with someone who would hit her? With a huff, Mi'nad let Jeremy go, but not without one last look.

Both men challenged each other through their gaze, but Jeremy was the first to walk away. If Simone wanted to act like a bitch, he would be the last person around her.

Without saying anything, Simone stayed quiet and just looked at Mi'nad. He wanted to punch something, needed to stop seeing red. His fist shook with pent-up energy and his brain was foggy. He looked to her to get away from all his emotions, but the moment he reached her deep gaze, his loins ached.

Simone gasped at the lust and desire she recognized. His want started a buried sensation in her body; a sweet hum echoed her core. _"Mi'nad…"_ she moaned.

_"I want to kill him…"_ Mi'nad said, partially as a warning for his possessiveness, yet it turned her on. _"My body wants to kill and have in you in ways I never explored before." _He stepped closer to her. Simone took a step back. He took another step forward, closing in on his prey. Suddenly, Simone hit the wall and her body pulsed with ecstasy.

Mi'nad stopped within inches of her body. He could hear her labored breath, hot and fast. His eyes roamed her lips, her neck, and her heaving chest. He lost the battle of wills, and gained strength to take what he wanted.

Simone watched as he placed both hands on each side of her head. Their bodies were now touching, linked at the core. Hard and large was what she felt, was what teased her through the thin dress. She arched her back off the wall to get closer, soft moans escaping her lips. Mi'nad eyes watched her slightly puckered lips, but needed her to know one thing. He needed her to know she was his, but he wasn't for asking/ giving options. He took.

Simone wanted to taste him again. Her lips called for him, but he kept a distance, his eyes displayed more than just sex, it was almost fearful.

Slowly, he pressed into her, his nose running along her neck to her ear. His hot breath tickled her sweet smelling skin, tempting his senses. Staying true to their nature, he decided to send her one last challenge. Switching to her tongue, he said the two words that became Simone's undoing... "Deny me."

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Ohh, what will she choose? Read and review!


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry its been a while, but here's the next chapters as an early thank you gift. Hope my americana fans have a great holiday!

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Deny me…

Simone held his face in her hands and captured his lips with hers. The smoky taste of the whiskey shots intensified the flavor of his mouth, calling for her to go deeper. "Open your mouth," Simone instructed; needed more.

As told, Mi'nad followed her lead. Tongue played with tongue, nipping, biting, sucking, it was all too much for his growing erection. Dropping his hands from the wall, he gripped her hips and pulled them closer to his body. His burning would swallow him if he couldn't feel her, skin to skin.

"GET A ROOM!" Simone gasped at the harsh command of a bystander. She pulled her lips from Mi'nad, yet kept herself at his neck. She waited for the footsteps to silence before moving away. About to protest her retreat, Mi'nad was shocked when she grabbed his hand and starting to run. _"Where are we going?" _He called as she pulled him down the hallway, away from the party. Simone heard him, but didn't have an answer. Even in heels, she continued to run, allowing her body to lead.

They continued on a ten minute journey through vacant hallways, passed the gym, dormitories and the hospital before Mi'nad recognized where they were. She led him passed the lab entry way and a couple of doors down before stopping. Quickly, Simone entered his passcode and shoved the door open.

Once they enetered the room, Mi'nad slammed the door shut, his fingers on the lock. However, Simone pounced. Her fingers guided his hands, initiating the lock, before moving his fingers to her lips. Mi'nad growled in response to her deep suckling of his thumb, her eyes closed in pleasure. She continued to work his fingers in and out of mouth, inticing him with her warmth and softness.

Simone pulled his middle finger out her mouth with a plop and met his thirsty gaze. "Touch me…"she whispered. His wet hands slid over her bare shoulders and neck, before exploring the curves hidden underneath her dress. His hands went to her hips and ass, he squeezed on his own accord and nearly bust from her uttering his name. Damn, he needed this woman and there was only one way he would be satisfied.

Simone dropped his hand and pulled from his grasp. She looked around his dark room and walked to the closed shutters. Opening them, she allowed enough light to filter through and turned back to Mi'nad. Like a scream through silence, Mi'nad's harsh breathing turned her on. It was possessive, dangerous, and all male, like the animals in the wild.

The middle sized desk was perfect for her clutch, the floor for her heels and the wingback chair for her dress. Right before Mi'nad's eyes, Simone transformed. "Take off your clothes," she whispered and he followed.

Mi'nad pulled the cotton shirt over his head and discarded it on the floor. Simone's breath hitched at the tone muscles under his skin and lost the breath when her eyes ventured toward his hips. Mi'nad watched her reaction to him and slowed his movements, teased her.

She watched him remove his belt from the loops and dropped it. Next, his shoes and socks. As each article of clothing came off, he closed the distance between them.

Mi'nad watched as she moved her hands to her back. He heard a couple of snaps and then her chest covering dropped. This time he froze. "_You are beautiful."_

"Thank you, " she whispered and ran her hands up to her necklace.

"Leave it. Take off everything, but that," he ordered.

Simone's chest heaved faster, responded to his husky tone. She pulled at her lace boy shorts, but Mi'nad stopped her. He dropped to his knees in front of her and kissed her stomach, his fingers claimed the spot hers occupied.

Her head fell back as he pulled the fabric down her legs, trailed by kisses. _"Sit down."_ And she did. Naked, she threw her head back when her kissed her again, moving closer to sweet spot.

"Mi'nad," she moaned.

"Yes?" He looked up at her.

"Kiss me…"

He went to rise, but she stopped him. "Not on my lips…right here." Mi'nad watched as she slid a leg over his shoulder and ran her hand between her legs.

"Fuck _me…" _he whispered. The sight of her brought him on a high, but the smell of her arousal nearly killed him. He wanted to stay leveled right her for the rest of his life. With her encouragement, he moved forward and laid his lips against her wet flesh.

"Ahh… yes. Lick me."

Simone gasped as his warm tongue made contact with her, all the kissing lesson he gained was used on her. Mi'nad loved her moans and strived to make them louder as her continued. He licked, sucked, bit, and even penetrated her with tongue and teeth. She started to shiver, which made him stop, but her hands pushed him. "Please finish…oh, god."

With those words, he pulled out all the works and soon her knees grew weak, her screams bounced off the walls and his mouth was covered in her sweet nectar. He was a starved animal, replenishing from her soul.

Simone's vision went dark from the intensity of her orgasm. She limped over, but Mi'nad was there to catch her. She was lifted and brought over to the bed, spasms still occurring. "That was beautiful," she whispered when caught her breath.

In the dark, he smiled and lay beside her, stroked lost tendrils from her face. He listened, waited for her breath to calm that was still shallow. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Stunned, Simone tried to hid her arousal. She did not want to pressure him in doing more if that was all he was comfortable with, however her body practically yelled for another release. "Uh…huh…" Simone whispered.

"Really?" Mi'nad pressed on. He felt the Goosebumps along her arm, spotted her peak nipples in the dim light and noticed her legs parted. "So you are fine with not continuing?" He asked, yet he had no intentions to end with only a taste.

"Please…" came her strained voice. Simone wanted nothing more than to jump this man, but he had to initiate it. Mi'nad had to show her he was comfortable with this.

"Please what?" He said and slid his body closer so she could feel his erection.

"Oh…god." Simone met his eyes full. "I want you, right here right now. I want you in ways that human men and women share each other. I can show you…" she said quickly. She sat up ready to mount him, but he was the one doing the mounting.

Mi'nad knew exactly how humans mated; it wasn't much different from his people. Also, his father had open talks with him about 'sex,' the word foreign to his culture. Instead of allowing Simone to progress, he quickly kneeled between her legs and pushed her knees apart. _"I may be from a different planet, but my father was human."_ He informed her and worked on his jeans.

Simone watched as skilled fingers undid the buttons on his new pants. Immediately, Mi'nad linked his bottoms and underwear together, pulled them off in one swift motion. His eyes glowed with a nonhuman light, iridescent as the forest outside. He surveyed the hot and ready woman in front of him and knew the night was all theirs. "Please," she begged and that was all he needed to hear, before he enveloped her with his body, mind, and heart.

The morning sun pushed through the shutters, sending burst of light wherever it could. Simone struggled to open her eyes against the brightness, and fought to keep her hangover at bay. There were no sounds, not even streaming from the base. Everything was quiet, eerily.

She made to move, but dead weight stopped her. He memory fogged, her eyelids widened with alarm and she found herself underneath a body, Mi'nad's avatar. "Mi'nad, "she whispered and shook but nothing happened. Again, she pushed and found his weight, unusually dense and massive. "Shit…" she cursed. He wasn't inside.

She pushed once more, her blood vessels wanted to pop, yet she freed herself and managed to notice she was not alone. Crouched on the floor opposite the bed was the ten foot tall Na'vi Prince, his gold eyes reflected through the dim space.

"Mi'nad?" she whispered through her morning fog. "Why did you not stay in your avatar?"

"_I needed time to think?" _he responded, sharply.

"About?" Simone asked him, but she already knew the answer. What happened last night was far too much for him.

"About last night…"

"That was my fault. We were beyond our appropriate capacity for drinking and I should have been a good role model."

"It does not matter that we were drunk. I knew what we were doing and wanted it…wanted it too much. Now that we mated…" he responded.

"Mated? Oh, no, Mi'nad…this, last night, was not mating. I told you, I am en…" she interrupted only to be stopped, as well.

"**Engaged and it was just sex? That's bullshit**." And for the first time, Simone recognized his anger; hot and scary.

"Mi'nad…" she whispered and lifted from his avatar. Simone grabbed the sheet and wrapped it around her naked body before standing from the bed. "Sex is what humans do, without the consequences of mating."

"And that's the definition."

"Well, if anyone knew this happened there will be another war. That's the fact." She eyed him to make sure he understood her gravely. Interspecies mingling was shunned upon already and sexual relations were absolutely forbidden. Words from Grace's book fluttered before her eyes, warnings against human/Na'vi bonds and their morals. Her brown eyes softened as she looked at his avatar, so strong, appeared so real and yet he was nothing but a ghost. She looked back at Mi'nad, who watched her. "I'm sorry," she whispered and like a coward turned away.

In search of her clothing, she was careful not to touch his oversized body and avoid eye contact. She was ashamed and the soreness of her body only cemented it. As she slipped on the dress, sans heels, and went to the door, Mi'nad finally broke the silence. _"I thought it would mean nothing… I promise. "_

At a loss for words, she acknowledged him with a nod and proceeded to leave his room, however as soon as she crossed the threshold she knew she left a piece of her with him.

"So how do you feel?" Heavily made eyelashes gazed down on Simone from the opening of the pod. It's been days since the party and the science lab have made headway with Na'vi avatars. Simone was the last one to be tested and she was anything but ready.

Mi'nad avoided her, kept off the base as much as possible, and yet here she needed him. She tried to explain her craving for him from the loss of their professional connection, however that was all a lie. She needed him like a woman needed her spouse. She needed to know he cared and would be waiting for her on the other side.

"Simone, are you ready for this?" Veronica noticed the difference in her friend; the sad, withdraw expression never left her eyes these days. In a time where the lab was filled with delighted souls, her best friend had become a stranger, and the absence of Mi'nad was not ignored. "Hey chicka, come back to me."

Reality slapped Simone hard across the face as she looked into concerned eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm just nervous," she confessed.

"I know, but everything will be fine. Everyone has had a successful journey and you will too. No more worries." Veronica rubbed her fingers across Simone's. "Would you feel better if I was in the room when you woke?"

Simone eyes watered from appreciation for the woman, and nodded, afraid to speak.

"Okay, well you close your eyes and relax and I will meet you on the other side." With a broad grin from her closest friend, she did as instructed and squeezed her lids shut. Hopefully, this will be a fast one, she thought.

The cool air of the northern skies slapped his body violently while he flew on his Ikran. He was late and she didn't deserve this. Simone didn't deserve him.

For days, he stayed away from her. Right after that night, he became a walking time bomb; crazed from an internal obsession over Simone. It was this sickness that kept him away, the fear that he would not be able to refuse his longing. However, there were some moments far too important for him to miss. Like making sure she came out in good health after the procedure.

He clicked his tongue, urging his bird to fly faster as the base entered his sights. He flew over the wild forest, over the 20 foot safety gate, and landed right on the sports court outside the lab. He raced to the tall doors that was built for his kind and used a card to unlock the Lab's entry. Once inside, he passed a bunch of scientist, all sending him dirty looks. In haste, he continued to race through the halls until he came toward the main lab.

"Veronica, where is she?" He called as the woman rushed out the doorway. She paused at seeing him and hesitancy showed in her eyes. "Please…she was there for me, I wish to return the favor."

"Only one is allowed in, you know that." Veronica snared, anger slipped across her face.

"I understand…please, allow me." Mi'nad said, one step closer to begging. He didn't understand why they were wasting time when Simone was probably coming out of the link at this moment.

"Why?" she persisted and his patience decreased.

"She will be expecting me. This is my job and I intend to complete it…," he hissed. Her eyes wavered from his, a sign he recognized as fear. Good, he thought. "You will tell me and allow me to be the only on in there, or I will kick down every damn door until I reach hers."

There was no negotiation; Veronica knew he was serious. She sent one look down at her portable monitor, before returning her gaze to him. "First door on your left, but Mi'nad…"

The Na'vi didn't wait for her to finish, he rushed past and barged right in. Two scientists were already there, monitoring the unconscious figure lying on a stretcher. They looked at him and then towards the glass overlooking the window. He knew Veronica would be there, and he knew she would tell them to continue with no concern. He would allow them to do their jobs, but once she was awake, she was all his.

Simone's first response was to cough. Something was stuck in her throat and her eyelids were to heavy to open. Shit, something went wrong, she thought. She assumed she was in the hospital; she probably passed out during the transitions. She saw this happen to someone during their first trial.

She tried at her eyes again, but was too worn out. Instead her hands went up to her mouth and rubbed. Fuck, she was definitely in the hospital with an oxygen tube shoved down her throat.

The sounds of her monitors alarmed her to her surrounding and soon she recognized footsteps.

"Hello…" she choked out and nearly screamed at the heaviness of her voice. "what the fuck?"

Startled she pushed with all her will to open her eyes and succeeded, however what she saw almost made her close them again.

"Stay away from her," Mi'nad hissed to the scientist who tried to come between them. As soon as he heard her cough, he rushed to her side. The moment she opened her eyes and looked at him, he was lost in her. _"Are you alright? Do you need water? Are you hurting?" _

Simone tried to swallow but her sore throat reminded her of its dryness. "Water," she whispered.

Mi'nad barely moved, however someone else came into view.

"Hey, chicka, way to scare the shit out of everyone," Veronica said. She moved forward, blocking out Mi'nad and stood closer. "You hyperventilated and somehow trapped yourself in your avatar. When you passed out, we didn't know what to do and hope to treat you, instead of pull your body from the pod."

Simone listened to Veronica and tried to understand it all, but she couldn't grasp anything except the words…avatar. "What do you mean 'trapped yourself'?"

Veronica slid a table closer to her bed and began picking up different surgical tools. She looked at Simone with a grin when she found the proper one. "I mean, you transitioned. Look." She picked up a mirror and held it in front of Simone's face.

Mi'nad watched with bated breath as Simone gasped from her reflection. She was beautiful, beyond his expectations. He gazed at her soft, light lips and flawless blue skin. She had broad stripes, which showed her natural courage and leadership. Even though she was falsely made, it was her dna that gave this body character, something everyone would be foolish to look passed. His people would honor her for this.

Simone choked, but kept her gaze on the mirror. She looked like them, she looked like a Na'vi. Her eyes lightened, her skin sapphire and golden freckles littered like glowing stars. Midnight blue hair hung like silk around her shoulders, soft curls lingered throughout. She noticed a glimmer through her hair and moved a huge hand to capture it. Slowly, the glimmer turned into long shiny tendrils. She knew this was the way to connect with nature on Pandora. She watched at as the tendrils crawled around her fingertips, searching for something to cling to.

"_Shayhalu, the bond you will experience with those." _ Mi'nad was again at her bedside. She felt a deep hum in her core as he gazed at her. It almost felt like she was completed, a sweet addition that her soul would never let go. She looked passed his face and to the long braid at the back of his head. Her eyes followed the twist down to the end and spotted his tendrils.

Mi'nad followed her gaze and smiled when he spotted what she was interested in. Oh, he was holding so much back from bonding with her right here, but it would not be right. She had to understand what that meant between two Na'vis and understand that it would be a permanent bond once completed.

"_Not from me…only when you are ready,"_ he whispered and turned to Veronica.

Veronica looked at the two and noticed something deep had evolved. While Mi'nad possessiveness spiked since Simone became conscious, Simone could barely take her eyes away from Mi'nad's when he was near. She needed to finish her examination, but it would be difficult with them two in the same room. "Okay, Simone, we have to get on with your examination, nourishments, and then activities. Mi'nad if you could step out of the room and allow me to continue, she will be on her feet in no time."

Simone nodded to her friend, yet hesitated when she looked at the prince.

"_I will see in a bit,"_ he whispered, understanding what Veronica had to do and privacy was the most he could give. As he walked over to the door, shoulders slumped and anxiety building, Simone called out the only words that could lift any man's spirits.

"I see you."

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Thanks! remember to show me some love!


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